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A NEW SYSTEM 

OF 

TRAINING HORSES; 

BY WHICH THE 

Wildest Oolts and Most Vicious Horses 

CAN BE 

THOROUGHLY AND SAFELY SUBDUED; 

ON A PRACTICAL AND IMPROVED 

BASIS OF CONTROL. 

INCLUDING 

A TREATISE ON SHOEim 



S W V AS PRACTICED AND TACGHT \A' 

BY D. MAG-NER 



<S 



UTICA, N. Y. 

ROBERTS, PRINTER, 60 GENESEE STREET, 
1863. 



SFZS7 



Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1863, by 

33. M^GHSTEIR, 

In the Clerk's Office of the District Court for the Northern 
District of New York. 



Z 3 3 ^ j 



PREFACE 



The great desire manifested by those witnessing my 
demonstrations as a teacher of reform in the training 
and management of Horses, to get my system in printed 
form, has finally induced me, contrary to my intention, 
to publish it, hoping thereby to make my efforts more 
generally useful and acceptable. In doing so I do not 
assume to merit the honor and capacity of a name 
among those claiming distinction as horsemen. The 
only approbation I expect, is that which I may deserve 
from the practical results of my system and instructions. 

I have endeavored in this, as in my experiments here- 
tofore, to make every principle presented by me clearly 
understood. I have aspired to none of the arts of 
rhetoric, but have employed as clear and direct lan- 
guage as I could master. For any short-comings that 
may be discovered, I beg a charitable criticism, and 
plead that my theory is valuable in its practical results, 
rather than for the words in which it is stated. 

This system of subduing and managing Horses, is con- 
ceded to be the most complete and thorough now 
known. It has cost me much trouble and experience to 
combine and arrange it, and I commend it to the tho- 
rough examination and favorable judgment of those 
who are practically familiar with Horses. 



TO PURCHASERS. 

Persons buying this work have every right of using, 
but no right of teaching or transferring to others the 
book or its contents. By so doing they will render 
themselves liable to prosecution. 



TRAINING HORSES. 



PRELIMINARY REMARKS 



NATURE OF THE HORSE. 

Experience and observation teach that the horse's na- 
ture is governed by fixed laws. He possesses quite as 
much, if not more than man of acuteness of the senses, 
but he is destitute of the ability to reason beyond the 
limits of his experience. Success in his control and 
management must depend upon the degree of intelli- 
gence and prudence exercised in conforming to the re- 
quirements of his nature, and in taking advantage of his 
ignorance to impress him with a sense of man's suprem- 
acy and power ; for the horse being really stronger than 
man, if he shall learn to resist, and find resistance suc- 
cessful, will continue to do so. He will acquire bad 
habits so far as he discovers man's inability to enforce 
his submission. It is only by the resources of mind that 
we can hope to effectually keep him in perpetual ignor- 
ance of his strength, and so powerfully impress him with 
man's mastery, as to cause him to yield a willing and 
ready obedience to his commands. 

man's superiority. 

Man is superior to the horse, because of his intellect- 
ual resources, by which he can devise and adopt means 
to overcome the strength of the horse, or even employ it 
against itself. The secret of training and managing 
horses lies in this mental superiority. The wisdom of 
Deity is infinite, and man must bow before it. 



6 

Man is finite, and he becomes superior to the ignorant 
horse only so far as he can manage and impress him 
with a sense of undoubted superiority. Consequently it 
is not only necessary to conform to the laws of the 
horse's nature, but to take advantage of his ignorance 
by the resources of mind in his control, under all circum- 
stances of resistance, so as to make resistance apparently 
impossible. Recognizing then the need of conforming to 
the laws of his nature, so as not to excite his resistance, 
do not let him comprehend it possible to resist control. 
You seek, in the second place, to so disconcert and con- 
trol him under all circumstances, as to impress him with 
the greatest force of man's power and absolute suprem- 
acy. 

NECESSITY OF KINDNESS AND HONESTY. 

The first step in the accomplishment of this is attain- 
ed by winning the horse's confidence by the uniform ac- 
tions of a kindly disposition in his management. If man 
doubts and fears because he reasons, the animal, reason- 
ing only from experience, must doubt and fear only so far 
as taught by our actions towards him. He takes man 
exactly for what he proves himself by actions. If those 
actions are uniform in kindness and truth, there must be 
perfect confidence and corresponding trust; learning, as 
he does, to associate with man's presence a feeling of 
protection and security, there cannot be fear or doubt, 
because never taught to doubt by deception. 

The child has confidence in his parents in proportion 
to the fidelity of the parents in inculcating and practicing 
those principles of truth in his early training. But once 
finding them unmindful of their promises, confidence in 
them is correspondingly impaired. If you are faithful in 
fulfilling your promises to the child, he will expect exactly 
what you promise. Here proof becomes faith, because 
he has never been deceived by the want of performance. 
Even among men the principle is the same. That man 
who is always found truthful, and who performs exactly 
as lie promises to do, becomes a standard of public con- 



fidence and trust ; but he who disregards truth and the 
>rinciples of honor, becomes an object of suspicion to all 
mowing him. As the child, then, is the reflex of the 
ove and truth of the parents in confidence, and the pub- 
lic in him of undoubted integrity — so we are forced to 
believe the horse becomes in the character of his habits 
what he is made, in exact proportion to the teaching 
and example to which he has been made subject. 

FAMILIARIZING TO OBJECTS OF FEAR NECESSITY OF. 

As we are taught there is no effect without a cause, 
and as the horse becomes fearless and confident so far as 
he understands there is no cause for fear, we should re- 
move the cause of mischief as much as possible, by com- 
plying with those laws of his nature by which he exam- 
ines an object, or determines upon its innocence or harm 
—and this is the more necessary in his early education, 
since early impressions are strong in the horse, and once 
learning suspicion, perseveres tenaciously to the appre- 
hension of danger when once excited. Whatever the 
horse understands to be harmless he does not fear; con- 
sequently, great attention should be given to making 
him examine and smell such things as are likely to 
frighten him in after-life. A log or a stump by the road 
side, if regarded with suspicion, should be approached 
slowly and cautiously; to the imagination of the horse 
such things are supposed to be some great beast that 
may spring upon him, but which he will soon compre- 
hend to be harmless if obliged to examine its nature in 
his own way, by taking him up to the object quietly, al- 
lowing him to understand fully by smelling and feeling 
with the nose that the object is harmless; and the same 
principle and process will have the same effect with other 
objects, however frightful in appearance, in which there 
is no real cause of fear. The boy frightened by a false 
face will care nothing about it after he takes it in his 
hands and examines it; and the principle is the same 
in familiarizing horses to objects of fear. 



NECESSITY AND ADVANTAGE OF INTELLIGENT MEANS. 

Prudence in conforming to the laws of the horse's na- 
ture and winning his confidence by kindness, though indis- 
pensable, is only as the caution which guards against 
the force of a momentum there is not ability to control, or 
as the care and attention of nursing is to a disease in the 
absence of medical skill in the application or administer- 
ing of proper remedies ; there would be no need of the 
medical skill if the laws of health had not been violated 
either by ignorance or the want of prudence, and so 
there would be no need of subduing the horse by force 
had there been no law r of his nature violated ; since effects 
must be the result of causes on fixed laws, every conse- 
quence requiring the genius of man to combat and con- 
trol must be the result of his own ignorance and impru- 
dence. Harshness and the neglect of this necessary 
attention, while mainly the causes of mischief, do not 
teach us by experience to infer that the absence of such 
causes, with corresponding regard to the laws of kind- 
ness, is not sufficient to win the bad horse to a forgetful- 
ness of his powers of resistance. The course of reasoning 
that teaches him man's inability to enforce his assumed 
supremacy, must also convincingly demonstrate to his 
understanding man's ability to enforce absolute and un- 
conditional submission, under all circumstances of resist- 
ance ; in fact, disconcert and beat him on his own 
ground with the apparent ease and certainty of positive 
ability, without resorting to harsh means or inflicting 
pain. For as the aim of the physician is to subdue 
the force and effect of the disease by administering reme- 
dies least aggravating in their action upon the system, 
so the aim of the horseman should be in enforcing the 
subjugation of the horse ; it should be done as nearly as 
possible on a moral basis. 

TRAINING SHOULD BE THOROUGH NECESSITY OF 

REPETITION. 

The horse's confidence and rebellion being usually the 
result of long experience in successful resistance, his subjec- 
tion must be made convincing by repeated proofs of being 



over-matched and that resistance is useless. For since his 
willfulness and rebellion is based upon the limited reason- 
ing of his experience, he must be thoroughly convinced by 
experience that unconditional submission is the only alter- 
native, and this you cannot prove to the understanding 
of the horse without repeating your lessons until he sub- 
mits unconditionally. But as nursing and care is to the 
patient over the force of disease, so in the subjugation of 
the horse — his submission should be encouraged and re- 
warded by kindness, and feeding from the hand with little 
presents of such things as he likes. That master is supreme 
in his control, and submission to his commands becomes a 
pleasure, who has the power to enforce his will, but who 
exercises it with the sweetening encouragements of love, 
While force is necessary, and you have the means of mak- 
ing your horse almost a plaything in your hands, let the 
silken cord of love be the cement that fixes and secures 
this submission to your will. A good-natured, clever 
man, it is admitted, can teach a horse almost anything, 
and it has become a proverb that kindness will lead an 
elephant by a hair. So the horse should be treated with 
kindness and consideration. His spirit should be curbed 
and directed, but not subdued. Man has the right of 
control, restraint, correction, and even destruction of 
life, but we must bear the consequences of those vio- 
lations of the laws of his nature to which he is thereby 
subjected. Show your horse exactly what you want him 
to do, and endeavor to use the patience and reason in 
teaching and controlling him you would at least believe 
necessary for yourself to understand if placed in like cir- 
cumstances. Ignorant of the language and intentions of 
such a teacher, who even preserved his patience and 
refrained from abuse, what progress would you make as 
a pupil — gifted as you are with all your intelligence? 
If possible, ennoble and elevate your feelings by realizing 
your responsibility to yourself, to community, and to the 
noble animal committed to your charge. Make your 
horse a friend by kindness and good treatment. Be a 
kind master, not a tyrant; and make your horse a will- 
ing servant, but not a slave. 



10 



THE WILD COLT. 

As the training of the horse must be based upon 
the observance of those principles of his nature re- 
quiring the exercise of his reason in everything 
forced upon his attention, and of conveying to his 
understanding most clearly what is required of him, 
it is advisable to commence my lessons on the man- 
management of horses by explaining how to proceed with 
the wild colt. First: Prepare your barn, or such place 
as you design for your training room; every thing tend- 
ing to annoy or excite your colt — hens, chickens, or 
dogs — must be driven out; endeavor to be all alone 
with your horse; do not suffer the curious, who will be 
anxious to judge of your abilities, as such will term it, 
to crowd in — guard against such a nuisance, if possible ; 
and as such persons are not usually sensitive about 
taking a hint, be decisive in your wishes, observing that 
it is a positive condition of your instructions. Your ob- 
ject next is to get your colt into this place, which you 
must do as quietly and gently as possible. You can ac- 
complish this best by leading in and hitching, in his 
view, a broke horse ; the colt will, generally, soon walk 
in of his own accord; but, should he not, do not be in 
haste to drive him in; walk quietly around him, and very 
gradually give him less room by closing in upon him. 
Be slow and careful, and he will not run or become 
frightened; give him time to examine and look around, 
and in a short time he will walk in. When in, get your 
old horse out as quietly as possible. There are two 
ways of haltering, either of which will answer. I will 
give both ways, and the scholar may adopt the way best 
suited to the case. The first is familiarizing yourself to 
the colt until he will suffer you to approach and handle 
him, when the halter may be easily put on. The other 
method is, getting the halter on before you have suc- 
ceeded in gentling him much. In ordinary cases the 
first will be the most practicable, but if the colt is ex- 



11 

treinely wild and nervous the latter is to be preferred, 
because a much quicker method, and does not excite. 

COLT NOT VERY WILD. 

First method: As soon as he appears quiet and recon- 
ciled to the restraint of the inclosure, go slowly and cau- 
tiously towards him, making no demonstration at all, 
but talking gently or singing, as you please. He does 
not understand your language, and you talk or sing the 
sooner to reconcile him to your presence and attract his 
attention. If he begins to walk around from you, stop, 
but continue your singing or talking, and appear as 
careless as you can about his presence, until he becomes 
quiet again. Then walk back to where you started, and 
as leisurely repeat going towards him as before, and so 
repeat as circumstances may require until you are so 
close as to touch his withers, or permit him to smell of 
your hand should he seem so disposed. Remember, you 
must be patient and gentle in all your actions. JS'ow 
touch him on the withers, and gradually gentle and win 
his confidence, so that you can handle and rub his neck 
and finally the head. t)o not try to hold him or impose 
the least restraint; that would cause him to become ex- 
cited, and afraid of you. Fondle the colt in this way 
until he becomes reconciled to your presence, and will 
suffer your scratching and handling quietly. Now step 
back and take up your halter quietly, which should be 
of leather ; rope halters are very objectionable, for young 
horses in particular. The rope halter is hard, and hurts 
his head when he pulls ; being hurt the colt will instinct- 
ively try to get his head out of the halter, and the harder 
he pulls the more it will hurt, because the tighter and 
harder it will pinch, which will frighten him the more; 
and he will try to free himself at all hazards, until he 
pulls himself down or possibly breaks the halter. This 
is the way to teach him to become a halter-puller. Take 
your halter in your left hand, and approach the colt 
very slowly; don't be in a hurry; give him time to ex- 
amine and smell every part of it in his own way. While 



12 

he is examining the halter caress and rub him, and it 
will further your efforts greatly to give him a little apple, 
corn, or anything you may happen to have convenient. 
If you cannot get your halter on easily, unbuckle the 
top part, and then take hold of the end of the long 
strap which goes over his head with your right hand and 
carry it under his neck, while you reach the left hand 
over his neck and grasp the end of this long strap; now 
lower the halter just enough to get his nose into the 
nose-piece, and then raise it up to its proper place and 
fasten your buckle. This method of haltering will do 
very well if the colt is not extremely wild. But if your 
subject is wild and nervous, the following method is 
much the best. 

Second method: First, provide yourself with a piece 
of an edging about four feet long, (a broomstick or any- 
thing of the kind will answer,) cut a notch into one end 
with your pocket knife, and about seven inches from this 
end raise a few chips from the opposite end of the stick, 
or you can drive a nail in, the head bent a little towards 
the end having no notch; next you want a common 
slipping-noose rope halter, (I use a rope halter in making 
this step in the training of the colt, on account of its 
convenience) ; now get a common halter-strap, with a 
loop on the end which has the buckle; this put into 
your pocket, convenient to your right hand, for future 
use. Now approach the colt slowly and carefully, as 
before described, remembering that visitors must be ex- 
cluded; if you are alone you can work faster and better 
than it is possible with company. When you succeed in 
approaching to within four or five feet of the withers, re- 
treat slowly as before, and take up your stick, pre- 
viously prepared, holding the notched end from you, 
and swinging it very gently a little to the right and left 
in a horizontal position. This is a new object of fear to 
the colt, and will be regarded with a good deal of sus- 
picion ; however, a little patience will soon enable you to 
get so near the colt that you can hold your stick gently 
over the back and withers; then gradually lower it, 



13 

moving it gently as before until the hair of the mane is 
slightly touched; as this is borne, let it drop a little 
lower until it rests upon the mane; now commence 
scratching the mane with the stick gently, but firmly; 
this will please the colt, and cause him to stand quietly; 
while scratching with your stick in this way, slide your 
right hand slowly and cautiously along its surface, until 
you get it upon the mane, when you scratch with the 
hand in place of with the stick. All this is proving to 
the colt that you will not hurt him; in fact, you please, 
and hence he submits quietly. Now step back quietly to 
where your halter is; take the part that goes over the 
head in your right hand; now put your foot upon that 
part that slips through the loop immediately back of the 
jaw; then pull up upon it, which will cause the rope to 
slide and draw through the loop, so as to make that 
portion drop down below the nose-piece eighteen or 
twenty inches; now hang the head-piece, which you hold 
in your right hand, on those notches on the end of your 
stick, holding the end in your hand with your stick; 
your halter now hangs upon your stick so spread that 
you can put it over the colt's ears without touching any 
part of the head ; your halter arranged, holding it before 
you, swinging upon the stick, you approach the colt in 
the same cautious manner as before, until you bring it 
gently to the nose. This being a new object of fear to 
the colt, he will smell of it cautiouslv; while he is smell- 
mg it you are gradually raising it over his head, so gen- 
tly that he does not feel or care about it, until you get 
it over and back of the ears, when turn vour stick half 
round, and your halter will drop from it upon the 
head; now bring the stick towards you, lowering it until 
the end rests against the loop of the nose-piece, when 
draw back the left hand, which holds the end of the 
halter, while you press forward a little with the right, 
which will draw up the slack, and the halter is drawn 
close upon the head; now put your stick down carefully, 
take one step to the right and you can put your hand 
upon the withers, which you will scratch as before, as 



14 

doing so pleases him. Now, while fondling and talking 
in this w r ay, get your little strap out of your pocket, 
taking the loop end in your hand and putting the other 
end in your mouth ; now pass the loop end over the back 
quietly until within ten or twelve inches of the floor ; then 
stoop very gently, fondling the shoulder and near side 
carefully, and, as the colt will bear, extending it under 
the body until the strap is felt, which take in the hand 
and bring to the near side gently, and very delicately 
buckle around the arm so loosely that it will slide down 
the leg easily; now raise your foot and bring it down 
upon the strap, which will slide gently below the fet- 
lock and draw up tight; now take a firm hold of the 
part over the back with your right, while with the left 
hand you hold the halter about two feet or more from 
the head. Gently pull with your left hand, w r hich will 
cause the colt to step sideways a little; the moment he 
steps pull with the right hand, and you throw him upon 
three legs. This may frighten the colt and cause him to 
run back ; if there is danger, give him the freedom of the 
foot instantly, and he will stop; if not, simply hold 
quietly until he ceases struggling with the foot. When 
he submits the foot quietly, pass the left hand between 
the forelegs, take the strap between your fingers, which let 
go with the right and bring around the arm and foot two 
or three times, as it will bear in length, and draw r the 
end tightly between the strap and leg. By putting him 
on three legs he can offer but very little resistance when 
pulled by the head sideways, and as he does not reason 
will come round as readily w r ith the legs free as he does 
on three. Now step back on a line with the hips, hold- 
ing the halter in both hands firmly, and say: Come here, 
sir! the colt of course does not obey, so you pull upon 
the halter and he is obliged to swing round to you; now 
step to the right side and repeat, bringing him around 
by the halter each time, until when he hears the word 
Come here! he will obey you readily. As soon as the 
colt submits to this step, remove the strap off the leg, 
and rub the part gently over which the strap had been; 



15 

now step sideways and back as before, and say: Come 
here, sir! if he does not come readily, take a short hold 
of the halter with the left hand, while with the right 
grasp the tail firmly, and whirl him around until he 
acts dizzy — then whirl him the other way; this whirl- 
ing shows him you can handle him just as well on four 
legs as you can on three. Now ask him to come to you; 
if he moves a little as if to obey caress him, and so con- 
tinue until he will follow you readily. See another 
method of teaching to follow. 

HOW TO HANDLE THE FEET. 

After submitting sufficiently to lead well, caress and 
rub him on the withers as at first, and, as he will bear, 
work down the shoulder and leg. Then lift lightly on 
the foot; if it is submitted, rub it quickly and smoothly 
a few seconds; then put it down and take it up again, 
and so continue until you can handle the foot as you 
please. The main point for you to consider is, that you 
are to make the colt understand you will not hurt him, 
and to do this you must be gentle. Now place your 
hands again on the withers, and run them back over 
the side and hips softly and quickly, handling every 
part thoroughly as you work along towards the leg, 
and, as the colt will bear, work the hands along 
around the leg until you reach the foot. If there is no 
resistance, take it gently between the hands and lift upon 
it a little — -just a very little. If there is no resistance, 
after letting down, rubbing and gentling a little more, 
repeat — each time lift it up a little higher, until you can 
take it up and handle it just as you please. Should he, 
however, resist and jerk his foot away from you, you 
must resort to the use of means to make him understand 
that resistance is out of the question. But very few 
horses I cannot handle in this way successfully, by whirl- 
ing a few times every time the foot is resisted; a few 
turns will generally make the colt stand and submit 
quietly to be handled. 

If, however, you find determined resistance, you must 



16 

resort- to more thorough measures of control. Take 
your light strap, which you used at first to take up the 
foot, in your right hand; take up the- near fore-foot, 
which hold in the left hand, while with the right you 
pass the end of the strap around the hind leg below the 
fetlock. Now buckle the loop around the strap, and 
draw tight upon the foot; then take the halter in the 
left hand firmly, while you have this little strap in the 
right, about thirty inches from the foot. Pull upon this 
strap, which will cause the foot to be drawn forward; 
this the colt will resist by kicking, but as the strap does 
not restrain the foot at the same time that it holds it 
firmly, he soon finds resistance is useless; when he gives 
the foot without resistance, shorten your hold upon the 
strap, which brings the hand near the leg, swinging it 
gently by pulling the strap lightly back and then let- 
ting up again, and so repeat until you succeed in holding 
the foot in your hands, moving it gently in the same 
way; then let the foot down — rubbing it gently, take it 
up again, and so continue until you can handle it as you 
please. If more thorough treatment is found necessary, 
see management of horses bad to shoe. 

HOW TO RIDE A COLT. 

The method most practicable to me is to stand by the 
shoulder of the colt holding the halter in the left hand, 
which place upon the withers, the right over the back, 
gently patting the off side a little; now make the slight- 
est indication of jumping upon the back; if the colt 
stands this then jump a little higher, and so continue as 
the colt will bear, rubbing and patting with the right 
hand after each spring until you can throw yourself upon 
his back lightly. If the colt stands this, pat the off side 
gently, all the time talking soothingly, as, My little 
boy, or, My little lady. When this encroachment is 
suffered quietly, move the right leg toward the hip a lit- 
tle, being slow and cautious as before, until you can 
finally get the leg over the back, and in the same gentle 
manner get into an upright position. Get on and off a 



17 

few times, and the colt will suffer being jumped on and 
off without the slightest resistance. It usually takes me 
about twenty-five minutes to get a green colt so docile 
as to suffer being handled in any reasonable manner. 
Should the colt resist, whirl him a few times at each re- 
sistance and he will soon submit. 

Bear in mind, however, that there is a great difference 
in the temper and intelligence of horses — some being 
quick to understand, others very stupid — some yielding 
an almost unresisting submission, and others extremely 
perverse. You may find your colt stubborn and sulky 
when you undertake to make him follow. When such is 
the case, and the colt shows a reckless disregard of your 
control, be sure your temper does not get the better of 
you. If the current of your feelings rises high, put in 
requisition the Quaker's rule of counting one hundred as 
a restraint, and if the force of your passion should be 
too strong after counting the hundred, add to the num- 
ber until you count four hundred. There is no use what- 
ever of getting mad at your colt because he sulks ; your 
only course is to get him out of the fit. So be patient — 
rub and caress him; give him a little corn, apple, or any- 
thing you happen to have convenient. 

Remember, if possible, you must not force your 
colt while he is excited ; for he is then in no condi- 
tion to understand what you require, or to be submis- 
sive. Stop and repeat, and you will gain your point 
without difficulty. You should be careful not to train 
the colt until he becomes heated and confused. There 
seems to be that in the nature of some horses that 
causes them to resist force as there is in man, and when 
you have such, use great caution. Require but little at 
a time, and hold to that point until you gain it thor- 
oughly before you undertake to do more. For example, 
in making a colt follow, if he submits ever so little, caress 
and reward him for it, and so continue, and, my word for 
it, you will not have any difiiculty in making the colt 
submit willingly to whatever you require of him. When 
you resort to force do it sharply, so as to impress him as 
2 



18 

much as possible with your power. It is well to remem- 
ber that slow-moving, stubborn colts make good willing 
workers, and that the main difficulty in the management 
of such is in getting them started. 

TO MAKE A COLT FOLLOW UNDER THE WHIP. 

After he comes round to you readily by pulling a little 
on the halter, and follows freely, take your whip in the 
right hand; pull upon the halter a little, saying: Come 
here, sir ! and at the same time tap lightly with the 
whip over the hips; he will come to you mainly because 
you have taught him to yield to a slight pull upon the 
head and come to you at this signal, and because he 
wishes to get away from the touch of the whip behind. 
As soon as he comes to you caress him and feed him 
from the hand with something he likes; repeat this — 
each time pulling less upon the halter, until he will come 
to you as readily by tapping with the whip as he did at 
first to the halter. Now, instead of hitting with the whip, 
commence by snapping it behind him ; if he comes, 
caress and encourage as before, and so repeat, at each 
time increasing the distance from him, until he will fol- 
low or come to you quickly by cracking the whip. I 
give this method because simple, and, in my judgment,, 
practicable to most any one, and will bring about the 
desired result in a short time; indeed, so well as to make 
your horse follow you about the streets without halter 
or bridle. I will now give another method of learning 
a colt to lead, and, in fact of controlling and subduing 
him — being a very powerful means of control, and ia 
doubtless the most practical and thorough means known 
of managing a horse by the head. I would call especial 
attention to the value of this means — which, for conve- 
nience, I will call a War Bridle — for controlling and 
managing horses under certain circumstances. 

The war bridle is simply a cord of about the size of a 
common bed-cord or clothes-line. It should be of cot- 
ton, and made of fine yarn, or what is known as fine- 
threaded cotton cord, about three-eighths of an inch in 
diameter; it was used, before the rise in the price of cot- 



19 

ton, quite extensively for clothes-line. If you cannot 
get this quality of cord, procure a good, stout hemp one 
of about the same strength, or, in fact, anything of the 
kind strong enough. 

WAR BRIDLE. 

Take a cord of the above description, in length about 
fifteen feet. Tie one end into a hard knot, just as you 
would to prevent its raveling; now tie another knot 
about ten inches or a little more from the one on the 
end, but before you draw it tight, put the knot on the 
end through. You have now a loop that will not slip, 
made on the same principle that a rope is tied around 
the neck of a horse to hitch with, so as not to tighten 
upon the neck by pulling upon it. This loop should be 
just large enough to slip over the under jaw of the horse 
you wish to train; put this loop over the lower jaw; then, 
while standing on the near side, take the cord in the left- 
hand and bring over the neck by passing the left hand 
under the neck to the opposite side, towards the mane; 
now bring the right hand over the neck, and take the 
cord from the left and pass back to the loop, and put 
through from the top side, until the part over the neck is 
drawn down like a check-rein; now take hold of the end 
of this rein, and you will find you have a means of power 
in it that makes the strongest horse almost a plaything 
in your hands. 

The objection to the use of this war bridle in the 
training of the innocent colt, is, that the ignorant are 
inconsiderate in its use. Instead of using it with the ut- 
most mildness, a little resistance on the part of the colt 
is made an excuse to use it in the most severe manner, 
until the colt either submits unconditionally, or becomes 
so desperate with pain as to be entirely reckless and re- 
gardless of the utmost efforts. Under such circumstances 
he will spread his legs and throw his head forward, as 
stupid and stubborn as a hog, and when he does move, 
it is with the stupid indifference to control of that stupid 
animal. The war bridle is a valuable means of manag- 
ing and training colts in skillful hands. It should be 



20 

used with grout adroitness, never so harshly as to excite 
extreme pain, and yet with the touch that causes a fear 
of resistance. Like the whip, it should be made more an 
instrument to be feared than felt ; consequently the deli- 
cacy of the mouth must be preserved, if possible, under 
this means of subjection. When you do use it severely, 
let it be quick and sharp, not too often, and the moment 
you find your horse resisting with too much will, you 
will always find it to your advantage to stop and put 
your horse away a short time, until he becomes cool. 
The great secret, in fact, of training, is in not training 
too long, and repeating. You will find that the colt, 
entirely reckless when you put him away, will on repeat- 
ing submit to you readily. 

If you intend using the war bridle as a means of sub- 
duing your green colt, put it on after you tamper your 
colt well on three legs, with the strap over the back. 
As soon as he submits cleverly to this step, instead of 
fastening up the leg as by the method already described, 
take off your strap Then put on the war bridle gently, 
when step to one side and back, and say, Come here, 
sir, pulling a very little upon the bridle, just enough to 
bring his head towards you a little. Now step up to 
him and pat him on the neck, and say, You are a fine fel- 
low. Then try again in the same way, and so repeat 
until he will come to you quite freely. You may in- 
crease your force upon the bridle in proportion to his 
submission, but not if he show stubbornness. You may 
then step to the other side and repeat the lesson until 
he will come to you either way cheerfully. Now you 
wish him to follow you ; continue your training in this 
way, gradually pulling a little more on a line with his 
>body, until he will follow as well ahead as he does side- 
.ways. 

HANDLING THE FEET. 

Handle the feet in the same prudent manner as before 
-described ; but when there is resistance you simply re- 
prove for it by pulling down a little on the mouth with 
the bridle, which will act like a charm. If the colt re- 



21 

fuses to have the hind feet handled, put on the small 
strap on the hind foot, and by pulling on this strap bring 
the foot up; then the moment he kicks, bring down on 
the mouth sharply with the bridle. In a short :ime he 
will submit, when by good, careful handling, the colt will 
submit to your control unconditionally. 

The same principle applies to the use of this under all 
circumstances. It is a means of reproof, and certainly 
has a powerful effect upon a horse. 

TO TEACH THE COLT TO BACK. 

Put on the war bridle. Stand directly in front of 
your horse, having hold of the cord about twenty inches 
from the head with your left hand, resting the right on 
the cord, or bridle, about four or five inches from the 
head. You now say, Back, sir. Your horse does not 
know anything about what you want, of course, and does 
not obey. Immediately after saying, Back, press down 
and back, w r ith your right hand sharply on the cord, 
which will set the head back with a jerk. Do not ex- 
pect your colt will go back without a little struggle of 
resistance. Repeat this for about four or five minutes, 
being careful not to get excited. As a rule, the colt 
will not go back with one lesson, possibly not in the sec- 
ond ; but will be sure to do so the third lesson. 

The more intelligent and spirited the colt, the sooner 
he will submit, and the more ready his obedience. The 
duller and slower your subject, the more patient and per- 
severing must be your efforts It is now time to com- 
mence bitting your colt. 

BITTIXG THE COLT. 

Some people seem to have strange notions about bit' 
ting. It would seem as if the style and position of the 
head depended entirely upon the attention given to bit- 
ting. The object of bitting, it should be borne in mind, 
is to teach the horse to obey the rein, and, at the same 
time, habituating the horse to give the head and neck as 
great an elevation as the form and temper of the animal 
will bear. But, while it is admitted that careful atten- 



22 

tion to bitting will improve the style and bearing of the 
horse, it should not be forgotten, that the position in 
which a horse carries his head in harness, will depend 
almost entirely upon his form and his temper. No art 
can give the horse w T ith a low, perpendicular shoulder 
and short neck, fine style of carrying his head and neck, 
even if he possesses good courage and spirit. The prac- 
tice of straining the head and neck into an unnatural po- 
sition, and keeping it so for hours, as is practiced gener- 
ally in bitting, is often a cause of injury. When the 
head is strained up into an unnatural position, and kept 
there for a long time, the colt will learn to relieve the 
pain and weariness he feels by resting the entire weight 
of his head on the bit, and which teaches him to lug 
upon the bit, and causes the mouth to become insensible 
to pressure. 

I will now explain what I regard as an improved me- 
thod of bitting, which teaches the horse exactly what 
you require, and does not injure the mouth in the least, 
and by which you can bit a horse well in about one 
hour, by limiting your lessons to five minutes, and re- 
peating until the head is rendered freely and readily to 
the pressure of the rein, seldom requiring more than six 
or eight lessons of five or six minutes each. 

HOW TO MAKE BITTING BRIDLE. 

Take your war bridle, or cord as you will perhaps call 
it, previously used, and fix a loop upon the other end, 
just like that already used to put around the jaw, but 
big enough to go over the head and fit over the neck, 
rather tight, where the collar is w T orn. Now bring your 
cord forward, put through the mouth from the off-side, 
and bring back on the near side and put through the 
loop around the neck. Now pull upon this cord, and the 
head will be drawn back to the breast. You are now 
prepared to bit. Simply pull upon the cord a little, 
which will draw the head back slightly ; after holding a 
short time render loose ; then draw a little tighter, and 
so repeat for four or five minutes. Then stop bitting, 
and repeat at some future time. 



23 

The great secret, not only of bitting but of training 
the young horse in any manner, is in not confusing or 
exciting him to resistance by training too long. When 
your colt yields readily to the bit, you can check the 
head to suit. Making the check-rein rather tight, causes 
the head to be carried high, while the delicacy given the 
mouth will prevent the nose being thrown forward. 
This method of bitting may be regarded with little favor 
by those not understanding its effect; but all I have fur- 
ther to say on the subject is, give it a fair trial. 

Teach your colt to be perfectly submissive to your 
handling in every manner. To lead well, back freely to 
the word. You are now ready for the next step in his 
training, which is, usually, driving to harness. 

TRAINING TO HARNESS. 

Put on your harness carefully, which should be made 
to fit well, and great care should be used in having it 
safe and strong in every respect. Do not be tempted to 
drive your colt in an old rotten harness, or to hitch to 
an old rotten, rattling wagon, as such are liable to give 
way at any time. Many of the accidents causing horses 
to become subject to bad habits are the results of such 
imprudence. Let every step made be sure. Work safe and 
you are sure to bring about a good result. With your 
harness on allow him to stand in his stall until he be- 
comes somewhat used to the presence and pressure of 
the different parts, and will allow you to rattle them 
about without his caring for them. Now lead him 
around for a short time, and as soon as he appears quiet 
check him up quite loosely, and take down the reins and 
drive him around in the yard. When he becomes famil- 
iar with the harness, check and reins, and will start and 
stop to the word, and drive around to the right or left, 
you can drive him about the streets with safety. Though 
in making this step you had better have the war bridle 
on for safety. You should then drive to a sulky. I prefer 
a sulky at first. Let your colt see and examine every 
part of the sulky, until he cares nothing about it. Then 
draw it up behind him, rattling and running it back and 



24 

forth a few times, when attach to the harness. As safety 
and certainty should be } 7 our motto in the breaking of 
horses, before you attempt driving the colt, apply what 
I call a 

FOOT STRAP. 

Take a common strap or rope about the size of your 
war bridle. Your w r ar bridle will answer by untying 
one of the loops. Fasten the end untied carefully to the 
forward foot, below the fetlock. Pass the other end 
over the belly-band of the harness, and carry it back on 
the left side to the sulky, over the hold-back strap of the 
breechen, and hold as a third rein in your hand. You 
have in this strap or cord, connecting with the foot in 
this way, a means of control, with which you can almost 
as easily as if a plaything, control a horse while moving 
in the harness, and embodies one of the most valuable and 
effective means of controlling a horse in harness, yet 
demonstrated. If the horse attempts to run away, 
simply pulling upon your strap throws him instantly on 
three legs, and he has to stop. If he attempts to run 
back, the same remedy stops him. If he attempts to 
kick, you attract his attention forward instantly, and at 
the same time make it impossible for him to kick. 

1st. Because the instant you notice an intention of 
kicking you disconcert him by taking his foot the next 
step he takes, which attracts his attention away from his 
hind part, thereby disconcerting him, and at the same 
time making it impossible for him to kick. On the 
instant the foot is taken up the horse is thrown off his 
balance, and to keep from falling he has to throw the 
other foot forward. There is really no danger of his 
falling. You in fact hold him by a point that makes 
him completely at the mercy of your will. Now if you 
strap up one of the forward legs, your horse cannot 
travel, and if a bad kicker, he can balance himself on 
the other leg and kick, which he cannot do when held 
at will in this way. While we are given the principle, 
we are not given its practice, because the moment your 
strap is off your protection against danger is removed, 



25 

and your resource of control is limited to that of prudence 
and good management ; while with the foot strap your 
horse is really free to travel, but completely in your con- 
trol should emergency require it. You control the horse 
in the very act of resistance and thereby convince him 
conclusively of your supremacy and power. To teach a 
horse to stop at the word of command, it is certainly 
unrivaled. Not only this, but it acts as a powerful 
means of breaking up the confidence of a horse disposed 
to baulk, and serves in fact as the most complete and 
thorough means known of control in the harness while 
driving. So that with ordinary prudence, with this 
means, there is no difficulty in driving and educating the 
young horse to the harness safely. 

It is indeed strange that the experience and genius of 
ages should have failed to apply this principle to a more 
practical degree than that of strapping up the foot, as 
practiced for more than half a century, to control and 
subdue horses. 

OBJECTS OF FEAR. 

In driving, be careful about using the whip too freely. 
If a stone, or a stump, or anything of the kind should be 
regarded with fear, do not whip and drive the horse by. 
Let him stand a short time and look at the object until he 
seems careless about it, then push a little closer as he 
will bear, and so repeat, at the same time talking to 
him encouragingly until you can drive by or up to the 
object. Be very sure to have your colt comprehend 
fully that such objects are harmless, as opportunity offers 
in this way, and he will soon become so fearless and con- 
fident as to be regardless of such things. But if you 
whip him for becoming frightened at such things, he 
will associate the punishment with the object of his 
fright, and be more frightened the next time he sees it. 
The horse being unable to reason only from experience, 
you should convince him by careful examination that the 
object is harmless. For example, if the sight or smell 
of a robe a few feet distant should frighten your horse, 
put on the war bridle and take him alone in the training 



26 

yard or barn. Lead him gently to the robe. Let him 
smell of it, if he will. Then take it in your hand, hold 
it gently to his nose, then rub it against his neck, side, 
and over the back, and so repeat for a short time, and 
he will become so regardless of it, after familiarizing him 
with it, in this way, that you can throw it over his back 
or tie it to his tail without causing him the least fear. 
To familiarize a colt to a drum, the same principle is to 
be observed. Let him touch it with the nose, then rub 
it against his neck and sides and place it upon his back. 
Now tap it gently with the finger, gradually increasing 
in force as he will bear, and in a short time, you can 
play upon it quite smartly, even while resting upon his 
back, and he will care nothing about it. The principle 
is the same with the umbrella. Let him touch it with 
his nose first while closed. Then rub it against his 
head and neck and over his body. Then commence 
again at the nose, opening the umbrella a little, and so 
repeat until you can hold it fully spread over his head 
and over and about him in any manner, and in a short 
time he will care nothing for it. Teach him that a news- 
paper, though it is white and rustles, is harmless, by 
rubbing him with it, throwing it upon him like a blanket, 
dragging it about upon the ground by a string and riding 
him about with it in the hand. 

To accustom your horse to the cars, lead him to the 
depot and have him see them at rest, and examine them 
carefully even to the smelling and touching with the 
nose. Then allow him to see them moving as you have an 
opportunity. When you undertake to familiarize a colt 
or a horse to anything which frightens him, be sure you 
repeat the lesson until he cares nothing about the ob- 
ject. If you do not the experiment will be of but little 
advantage to your horse, and in fact, it may render him 
worse. 

DRIVING. 

When your horse drives well before a sulky, then you 
may hitch him to a light wagon or by the side of an- 
other broke horse, and if you arc breaking him for the 



27 

farm or for hauling heavy loads, you can gradually in- 
crease his load until he will draw to the extent of his 
ability without comprehending that he has the power of 
doing otherwise. After your horse is sufficiently broke 
to the harness you can either allow him to carry his 
head as nature may dictate, or by the proper use of the 
check-rein, bring his head and neck into such position 
of style as his form and temper will bear, or your fancy 
dictate. 

In teaching your young horse to drive well, do not be in 
a hurry to see how fast he can trot. Although your 
colt may be old enough to learn how to move well and 
perhaps drive as gently as an older horse, he is not old 
enough to perform the work of an older horse fully ma- 
tured. Require but little at first, gradually increasing 
as he developes in strength, and becomes hardened to his 
gaits. Care should be taken to keep each pace clear and 
distinct from each other. While walking, he should be 
made to walk and not allowed to trot. While trotting, 
as in walking, care must be taken that he keeps steadily 
at his pace, and not allowed to slack into a walk. When 
occasionally pushed to his extreme speed in the trot, he 
should be kept up to it only a few minutes at a time, 
gradually requiring more as he becomes practiced and 
capable of enduring ; and whenever he has done well, 
he should be permitted to walk a short time and encour- 
aged with a kind word. Under no circumstances should 
what is termed his bottom be tried by forcing him to 
the stretch of his greatest efforts until he becomes tired 
and overdone. The reins while driving should be kept 
snug, and when pushed to the top of his speed, keep him 
w r ell in hand, that he may learn to bear well upon the 
bit, as it is by means of the reins mainly that the horse 
when going at a high rate of speed is kept steady in his 
pace. 

But while you should teach your horse to drive well to 
the pressure of the bit, be careful not to give him the 
habit of pulling too hard ; for then he becomes not only 
unpleasant but difficult to manage. 



28 

The art of driving well cannot be taught by any writ- 
ten instructions. Practice and ingenuity in this respect 
can alone make a skillful horseman. Always strive to 
encourage rather than drive your horse, and be careful 
not to whip only for merited reproof. The too free use 
of the whip will cause the horse to plunge ahead every 
time he sees any unusual movement of it, or at any mis- 
hap which may occur. 

TO TRAIN A HORSE TO STAND WHEN GETTING INTO A 
CARRIAGE. 

There are many horses that are very gentle after start- 
ing, but will not stand for you to get into the carriage. 
Such will sometimes rear up and start very suddenly, 
and if stopped, become obstinately stubborn and refuse 
to go when required. 

This habit is usually brought about by the mismanage- 
ment of thoughtless or ignorant drivers, in being hasty 
and harsh to a horse naturally ambitious, but sensitive 
and impulsive. 

The naturally intelligent and tractable colt is taken 
from the field and harnessed up without attention or re- 
gard to consequences. If he goes off gently he is re- 
garded as mild and gentle ; but if he is restless, and does 
not go when required to, he is whipped, and kicked, and 
abused. The colt does not know what he is whipped 
for, and the result is he becomes stubborn and mad. If 
he goes, it is with a reckless rearing plunge, or he settles 
back and refuses to meve. Such a horse learns either 
good or bad habits readily, and is either very good and 
obedient if well managed, or willful and stubborn to the 
last degree, if to the contrary. 

The first step in the management of such a horse, if a 
bad one, is to show him his willfulness must yield to su- 
perior power. This you can do best by managing him 
as follows : 

Tie the hair of the tail into a hard knot. Then take 
the halter strap in your left hand, holding the tail in the 
right ; pass the halter strap through the hair above the 
knot and draw up as short as the horse will bear without 



29 

running around, tying quickly. This will bring the 
horse in the form of a half circle, his head fast to his 
tail by the halter strap. Your object is to break up his 
confidence in himself most thoroughly, and this is the 
most harmless yet most powerful of all known means 
of disconcerting a horse on so practical a basis. No 
horse can bear up long against the depressing effect of 
whirling, in connection with the proper use of the war 
bridle. The nearer the head is tied to the tail the bet- 
ter, for the quicker and shorter the horse will turn, and 
the better the effect. Should he not run around very 
freely, touch him behind with the whip, which will cause 
him to move sharply. Simply keep him moving until he 
falls down by becoming dizzy, which he will do in about 
one minute or a minute and a half. After lying a short 
time, untie the halter, when he will get up rather shaken 
in confidence ; but this lesson is not sufficient if a bad 
case. Tie the head to the tail in the opposite direction, 
and put him through until he falls or is unable to move. 
By this time a plucky horse may become warm from the 
exertion of his struggles- of resistance, and is not in a 
condition to be handled much more to advantage. How- 
ever, if not too warm, you may put on the war bridle and 
give him a few sharp turns to show him you can handle 
him as easily by the head as you can by whirling. When 
he follows and submits in this way freely, put him in his 
stall, caressing and talking to him gently, so as to let 
him understand obedience is all you require, and that 
you are a friend. 

The great secret, of subduing a horse is to handle him 
in such a manner as to impress him most powerfully with 
your supremacy, without causing pain or excitement. 
This you can accomplish best by making your lessons 
short, and repeating after the horse has had time to re- 
flect. A man does not like to match himself against 
an adversary who has handled him roughly and with the 
apparent ease of superior strength and ability, after his 
mind becomes cool, and the ascendancy of reason pre- 
vails ; and so it is with the horse. If possible, do not 



30 

continue his training while excited, and you will be sur- 
prised to find how soon he will yield submission. 

When you repeat, let it be with the war bridle only. 
When you find your horse will yield a ready obedience 
to your command out of the harness, then put on the 
harness and hitch to the carriage. When hitched, get 
to the head of the horse, pat and rub him on the head 
and neck, obliging him to stand, for he will not run over 
you. Then walk ahead slowly, stopping occasionally to 
caress and encourage him. In a short time you will find 
your horse will stand quietly for you to get into your 
buggy. For a few times after hitching, do not attempt 
to get into the buggy immediately before starting, walk 
ahead, asking him to follow a short distance, and if there 
is too much crowding, set him back with the bridle. 
This is a very easy habit to break up. I have broken 
very bad horses of this character, in from one to three 
lessons with the war bridle alone ; but certainly the 
above method is much more thorough. Always move 
your horse slow for some distance after hitching, and be 
very careful about using the whip at such a time. 

BAULKY HORSES. 

This habit is most perplexing to endure, and though 
the causes have been ably discussed by writers on horse- 
manship, all alike have failed to give little more than 
the stereotyped remedy of patience and kindness. The 
baulky horse is usually high-spirited, free in temperament, 
quick to comprehend, and sensitive to causes of excite- 
ment. Patience and kindness would have won him at 
first to a forgetfulness of the habit ; but as an open and 
confirmed rebel, defying the powers of man to enforce his 
submission, requires more than the patience incident to 
human nature to overcome. The baulky horse is simply 
willful, and in breaking up the habit the object should be 
to convince the horse most clearly, without resort to 
abuse or harshness, of ability to enforce submission. I 
would here suggest that it is always policy to go upon 
the principle of the adage, that an ounce of preventive 
is worth a pound of cure, in this as in all other bad 



31 

habits to which horses are subject. Bad management is 
alone the cause of horses learning to baulk. 

When the horse baulks in harness it is not from any 
unwillingness to perform his duty, but from some confu- 
sion or excitement, arising from mismanagement. He 
is willing and anxious to go, but too eager or high- 
spirited to make the steady push against the collar 
necessary to move the load. Because he will not pull 
under such circumstances he receives the curses and lash 
of the driver, which makes the horse not only mad but 
discouraged, and he refuses to go. If your horse 
becomes confused, and refuses to draw his load or go 
ahead, do not, by any means, get mad, and resort to 
the use of the whip the first thing ; for in such a case, 
ninety-nine times in a hundred, the use of the whip will 
only strengthen the tendency to resistance into open 
rebellion, which is just what you do not want. As a 
general rule a little patience and a few encouraging 
words would cause your horse to move on. But if you 
find a decided tendency to resistance, get out and 
examine the harness carefully. Sometimes the collar is 
too big and hurts the shoulders, or perhaps the load is 
heavy, and the road softer and steeper than you suppose, 
and you have forced your horse to draw until completely 
exhausted, and simply needs time to breathe before 
renewing the exertion. Consider circumstances. Your 
horse cannot talk and tell you the cause of difficulty. 
Get to the head, talk to him gently, and rub him a 
little the way the hair lies. If there is still resistance, 
remember it is an additional reason why you should 
control your temper. After rubbling the head and 
neck, for a horse of this kind must be flattered and 
coaxed, as you would find it necessary to do with a 
stubborn boy : all he needs is a little time, and the fit 
will exhaust itself, and you will leave no bad impression, 
making a starting point for the habit. Gently move 
the horse's head, first to the right, then to the left, to 
show him that he can move the load. After moving 
once or twice in this way he will generally start and 



32 

move on. Let your horse in starting turn a little to 
the left or to the right, as he can thereby start the load 
much easier than if he were to move straight ahead. 

If your team refuse to go use the same prudence ; for 
you will find the more hurried you are the slower will 
be your progress. Get to their heads, moving them 
easily and gently against their collars to the right and 
left, evenly, giving them time to become collected and 
cool, so that they will move steady and together. Be 
considerate and kind, for the horse is, remember, sensi- 
tive and stubborn. If, however, your horse refuses 
ordinary treatment, and you wish to move him, take a 
fine twine and tie around the leg, between the knee and 
ankle, tightly. This will cause him to raise the foot 
with pain, which will soon cause him to step for relief, 
and move on. Take off the cord as soon as you can 
safely stop the horse to do so. 

There is not, however, any practical way of making 
this class of horses work safely, only by thorough train- 
ing, which will soon break up the habit, and make your 
subject submissive and gentle. I have never found one 
so bad that I could not subdue in two or three lessons 
so thoroughly as to work well. 

Manage the baulky horse about the same that you do 
the horse bad to stand, or that rears and plunges ahead 
after being hitched to a carriage. The habit in charac- 
ter is the same, and requires essentially the same 
treatment. Whirl thoroughly as before described, after 
which train with the war bridle, until the horse submits 
unconditionally. Then put in harness and attach to 
wagon, training a little with the war bridle when refus- 
ing to obey ; but in making this step with the jibber 
be prudent. He has learned by experience to resist 
successfully in harness, and now that he finds himself on 
his own ground he will make a gallant and determined 
stand. Admire his courage and pluck, but remember 
this is the ground you are really laboring to win. Let 
your requirements be made with great delicacy, a little 
at a time, or so much as you have power to enforce by 



33 

the use of the war bridle, which will bring such a horse 
to a sense of submission quickly. Let every step be 
thorough, and repeat until the horse yields an uncondi- 
tional submission to your commands. 

After your subject moves well and safely, gradually 
teach him to haul steadily, by first loading lightly, and 
increasing as the hors# will bear, until the habit be- 
comes fixed, and he will work cheerfully. I have never 
found a baulky horse I could not make work by a few 
lessons of such treatment as the above. 

Wishing a horse to drive a few miles some time ago, 
a friend, in sport, offered to furnish me with such an 
animal as I wanted, and in due time found myself driv- 
ing an eight-year-old mare I found to be baulky to the 
last degree. She had been kicked, whipped and 
pounded until completely spoilt. Yet I succeeded in 
mastering her so well by the application of the war 
bridle alone, a few times, that for two months afterwards, 
when I last saw her owner, she continued, he informed 
me, a pleasant, willing driver. If I did so much by the 
application of this means a few times, certainly by 
ordinary prudence there can be no difficulty in subduing 
the most willful horse of this character by whirling and 
the bridle in connection. 

Win the confidence of your horse after training by 
good treatment, if possible. Kindness is a powerful 
lever in the successful management of the spirited horse. 
Good management alone on this basis will often win 
such horses to submission to a surprising degree. But 
kindness in connection with the capacity of impressing 
the horse powerfully with your ability to enforce sub- 
mission, which makes the horse lose confidence in him- 
self, proves to his understanding he has every thing to 
gain by submission, and every thing to lose by resist- 
ance, which in fact makes him not only afraid to resist 
but ambitious to please. 

To show what good treatment will do on this basis, I 
will mention a case I managed successfully about eight 
years ago, which was before much was known of the 



34 

art of subduing as now demonstrated. By way of trad- 
ing I was made the owner of a nice, smart-looking mare, 
eight years old. The man of whom I got her, who was, 
by the way, a notorious jockey, said she was not driven 
but little to harness, and would suit me exactly. I 
liked the mare's appearance, and traded for her, but 
I soon found her meriting the title of being baulky. 
Found, on inquiry, she had been traded about for years, 
on account of her baulkiness, and was not regarded as 
being worth much. Well, neighbors, usually attentive 
to other people's business to the neglect of their own, 
said I had more than my match this time ; that it was 
too bad I should be so badly cheated, &c. I will not 
enter into the details of my efforts, but will simply say 
that in a few days I could drive my mare just as I 
pleased, up and down hill, stop and start when and 
where I pleased, and in a short time was as nice and 
gentle a buggy mare as I have driven. After having 
her two weeks I sold her to a man claiming to be a 
horseman, yet he in driving home baulked her, though 
-as trusty to me as could be. I used no whip and he 
applied it, w r hich she resented, and finally defied his 
efforts to move her at all. While you have the ability 
to exercise almost an unlimited control over your horse, 
never be unmindful of the importance of fixing the sub- 
mission of your subject by kindness. Training should 
be, in the management of the bad horse, as medicine is 
applied to the control of disease ; however powerful and 
proper for the case, it should be used only as an aid to 
nature in its subjection ; and so your means of over- 
coming the horse, physically, should be used with dis- 
cretion, and secondary to that instinct of the animal's 
nature that causes him to yield obedience to the supre- 
macy of man. 

KICKING IN HARNESS. 

Kicking may justly be regarded as a bad habit, 
because of the danger incident to the use of such horses. 
It is well to remember that this habit is most always 
the result of carelessness and bad management. Proper 



35 

attention is not given to the fitting of the harness. The 
straps dangle about the flanks of a horse unacquainted 
with its nature, which frightens the colt and causes him 
to kick ; or, which is more common, an old harness is 
used, which breaks at some unlucky moment. The 
horse is frightened and kicks, intuitively, as a means of 
self-defense. The feet coming in contact with the cross- 
piece of the shafts or whiffletrees, increases the fears of 
the horse. He becomes really alarmed and reckless, 
springs ahead, endeavoring in the most frantic manner 
to free himself from the torment, until he tears himself 
loose or is stopped, after being worried out with fright 
and exertion ; and learning fear and resistance in this 
way he becomes alarmed at the least indication of its 
repetition. 

This fear must be broken up by habituating the horse 
to being touched and made to bear the various causes 
of mischief without the ability to resist. When becom- 
ing convinced that there is no harm to be apprehended 
from them he will give up the habit. 

This habit, though dangerous, and apparently difficult 
to break up, is not, with our present means of control, 
in the majority of cases, hard to overcome. Your main 
remedy in the management of the harness kicker is the 
foot strap. Put on your foot strap, and as the horse 
moves off, gently say, whoa, and instantly after pull 
upon the strap, which throws him upon three legs, and 
so continue until he will stop instantly when whoa is 
called. Then tempt the horse to kick, and the next 
instant take his foot, and so continue until he will give 
up the habit. As a rule, it does not require much train- 
ing to break up this habit, especially so if it is a young 
horse. Treat him with extreme gentleness, and repeat 
the lesson until you are sure that he will not resist. 

If however the habit is so bad that you cannot har- 
ness the horse safely, treat him as you do the bad horse 
io shoe, with the strap around the neck to the hind leg, 
-when you can prevent his kicking. Handle him thor- 
oughly, until he submits unconditionally, when continue 



36 

the lessons in harness as above. The following method 
is good. If your horse is bad every thing must be so 
strong as to prevent the possibility of breaking. You 
may use both methods together. 

A bad horse of this character will fight with a great 
deal of courage at first, and your success will depend 
greatly upon the thoroughness of your control in beating 
every effort of his resistance. 

Another Method. — Get a good curb bit that has 
shafts six or eight inches in length, with a good curb 
chain under the jaw. Harness the horse as usual, them 
attach an extra rein to the lower part of the bit, and 
carry it back through the terrets down to the shafts of 
the wagon or buggy, opposite the hocks. Have a ring 
fastened to each shaft and run these reins through the 
rings, passing up over the hip and through a little loop 
which should be made about where the hip straps are 
joined to the back band. Then draw them to the posi- 
tion the horse carries his head, but not so tight as to 
interfere with his traveling, and tie them together. 
Then if he attempts to kick, the action draws up tho 
head, and not only disconcerts but punishes him severely. 
Or you can use the common bit, and use two extra reins 
as before, which pass up the bridle and through rings 
attached above the blinders. Then run back through 
the terrets and through a ring or loop about the place 
the back strap is attached to the hip straps. Then tie 
down to the shafts on each side. The moment the horse 
attempts to kick, the head is jerked up, which makes it 
impossible for him to do it. These are good means for 
the purpose of driving safely. You will find, however,, 
the single strap attached to the forward foot will break 
up the habit in a short time. In this as in all other 
bad habits, do not let the horse resist you successfully 
after you commence training, but in every instance com- 
pel his submission until he yields unconditionally. 

KICKING IN STALL. 

This habit is easily broken up. First, put on the 
saddle part of a carriage harness, and buckle on tightly. 



37 

Then take a short strap, with a ring attached, and 
buckle around the forward foot below the fetlock. To 
this short strap attach another strap, which bring up 
and pass through the terret ; then return to the foot and 
run through the ring in the short strap. Then pass over 
the belly-band and tie to the hind leg, below the fetlock. 
With this attachment on each side, the moment the 
horse kicks he pulls his forward feet from under and trips 
himself upon his knees, which he will be very careful not 
to do but a few times. Let your horse stand in his stall 
in this way until there is no disposition to renew the 
habit. Or you can simply prevent kicking in the stall 
by fastening a plank across the stall, about an inch or 
two above the hips, which will make it impossible for 
him to kick, because unable to throw up the hind parts. 

HALTER PULLING. 

The bad halter puller will pull back as soon as he finds 
the least restraint upon his head. It is a very easy mat- 
ter to break up this habit. Put on the war bridle, and train 
the horse about until he will come to you readily when 
you pull upon him a little sideways. Simply repeat this, 
gradually a little more on a line with his body at each 
repetition, until he will yield as readily to being pulled for- 
ward as sideways. Then tie a strap, or a piece of a rope 
around the body where the harness saddle rests. Now 
lead the horse to his manger or to a post, run the halter 
strap through the ring or hole and pass back between 
the fore legs over the strap or cord tied around the body, 
and tie to the hind leg below the fetlock. If your hal- 
ter strap is not long enough splice a piece to it. Your 
horse so fastened, step forward to his head and make 
him pull. Of course he will go back with a rush, but 
the moment he attempts going back, the halter strap 
pulls directly upon the hind leg, which not only discon- 
certs, but makes it impossible for him to pull. The bad 
halter puller may pull two or three times in succession. 

I have found but two horses willful and determined 
enough to pull more than three times the first time so 
hitched. Your success in breaking up this habit, as in 



38 

all others, will, bear in mind, be in proportion to your 
prudence and judgment in managing your subject. Your 
aim must be to break up his confidence in himself so 
thoroughly that he becomes fully convinced that there 
is no use in pulling, and becomes afraid of renewing the 
effort. Now this you cannot do without repeating the 
lessons by so hitching the horse wherever he can be made 
to pull, and as he reasons from experience, finding him- 
self hopelessly helpless in the effort, becomes fully con- 
vinced only by repetition. If he pulls while in harness, 
be very sure to hitch so while in harness. Be thorough, 
do not let him pull even once successfully while train- 
ing. If you do, he will redouble the resistance and per- 
severe with extraordinary will. Work sure, by not 
hitching as usual until the horse gives up the habit un- 
conditionally. 

On the observance of this principle must depend your 
success. Keep it as a maxim to be regarded in all your 
efforts, that if a good result is to be brought about, you 
must keep your subject in perpetual ignorance of his 
ability to resist after you commence his subjection. Hav- 
ing the halter break a few times, or hitching to see 
whether he will settle back upon the halter after a lesson 
or two, is the way to educate your subject to the habit, 
and strengthen his self-confidence. If you will be so 
imprudent as to risk such consequences in this way, you 
must censure yourself for the result. Three or four les- 
sons will usually break up the habit of halter pulling. 
I have frequently broken up the habit in one lesson. Do 
not be afraid of frightening the halter puller to pull. 
Frighten him back by all possible means. The more 
you can make him pull upon himself at first, the quicker 
he will give up. 

BAD TO SHOE. 

The habit of resistance to being shod, or allowing the 
feet to be handled, like all others to which horses are 
subject, is the result of hasty and imprudent harsh- 
ness. It would seem, from the reckless disregard of con- 
sequences so generally evinced in the handling of young 



39 

horses, as if man doubted his own wisdom, and would 
not take counsel of the teachings of prudence. If 
the feet had been handled gently at first, and black- 
smiths had not vented so much of their vexation in the 
way of pounding with the hammer for every little move- 
ment of resistance in shoeing, this habit would never 
have been contracted. The natural tractableness of the 
horse, causes him to yield a ready obedience to such de- 
mands as he understands. If the feet are jerked up 
roughly, and without any effort to reconcile him to being 
handled, the colt will strive to get away or free himself 
from what he supposes will result to him in injury. Never 
hang on with all your strength when the foot is at- 
tempted to be jerked violently from you. Strength is 
not your forte, and your struggles only convince the 
horse of your weakness. Surprise has often been mani- 
fested at my success in handling horses of this character, 
and many have declared that I must make use of some 
means of control not made intelligible. The simple 
laws of nature are to such unworthy of reflection because 
familiar and common. There must be a tinge of hum- 
bug to enlist attention, and because nothing uncommon 
is presented for reflection, excepting the submission of 
the animal, the control is looked upon as the result of 
a peculiar giftedness. The only secret is gentleness and 
delicacy of handling, in connection with the simple means 
of control I make use of. If the horse does not very 
much resent his feet being handled, put on the war bridle, 
and put your little strap upon the hind foot ; pull upon 
this strap, which will bring the foot forward, and which 
such a horse will resist by kicking. The moment he 
kicks, reprove with the war bridle, which hold in the 
other hand, and so continue until the foot is sub- 
mitted without resistance. But if your subject is very 
bad, take a strap or rope about twelve feet long, step 
before the horse and tie one end of it in a loop around 
the neck where the collar rests. Now pass the other 
end back between the fore legs around the near hind 
leg, below the fetlock, and bring forward between the 



40 

legs and through this loop around the neck. Now step 
in front of the horse, and take a firm hold of this strap 
or rope, and pull back quickly upon it, which will bring 
the foot forward. If the horse is bad, pull the foot as 
far forward as you can, which will give you the more 
advantage. The horse will resent by striving to free the 
foot by kicking. Hold the head steadily with the left, 
and with your right hand hold this strap firmly, stand 
right up to the horse's shoulder and whirl him about you, 
which you can easily do, while he is struggling to free 
himself. As soon as he yields the foot, in this way 
handle it gently, then let up upon it a little, and so con- 
tinue as he will bear, until you can handle the foot 
without resistance, though back to its natural position. 
It may be necessary to repeat this lesson once or twice, 
and be very careful to handle the feet with the greatest 
gentleness. If your rope is rough, instead of tying it 
in a loop around the neck, put on a common collar and 
attach your strap or rope to it. I have in a few in- 
stances had the foot chafed where the strap passed 
around it. But if your strap is smooth and soft, there 
is but little danger of this. 

RUNNING AWAY. 

Put on the foot strap, and when he attempts to run, 
take up his foot, making him run, and tripping every 
time he will not stop instantly at the word whoa. Should 
your horse be of the extremely willful character, he may 
run on three legs. If you mistrust so, attach another 
strap to the opposite foot. . Then make him run, and 
if he will not stop for the taking up of one foot, take 
up the second, which will destroy his confidence in short 
order, when one strap will answer just as well. Make 
your lesson thorough, so that the horse will stop every 
time you call whoa. My horse was of this character, 
and would have been useless to me were it not for this 
means of breaking up the habit. 

Although I have given powerful means of coercion, 
and of impressing the horse with his inability to resist 
the will of man, still practical and thorough as are those 



41 

means, they are of but little account if not used with 
prudence and judgment. Men are too apt to depend 
upon main strength and stupid harshness for success in 
the management of horses, and with equal stupidity and 
stubbornness, the basis of control I have here given, may 
be made in the hands of many only as power to be 
abused with reckless disregard of consequences. Tyranny 
and abuse inspires rebellion and vengeance in the minds 
of the oppressed, and so the horse, smarting under the 
harshness and abuse of a tyrannical master, is inspired 
to a reckless resistance, and becomes set in vicious habits. 
Be firm, persevering and prudent in the exercise of your 
power, when it is necessary to impress your subject with 
a sense of mastery ; but be gentle, attentive and affec- 
tionate when he is obedient and submissive. Medicine 
may be applicable to the subjection of a disease, but is 
only valuable when used with judgment, in connection 
with the care and attention of nursing. The simple 
knowledge of means, or indeed their liberal use, without 
regard to the circumstances of the case, would be as un- 
reasonable and useless in the management of the horse 
alone, as would be subjecting the system, in controlling 
disease, to the unreasonable force of medicine without 
regard to care and attention. The principle is the same, 
and equally essential to be observed. 

Strive to tell your horse exactly what you want of 
him, and do not confuse him by attaching different 
meanings to the same word. It is quite common to say 
whoa, when it is only intended to go slower, or when 
the horse has not stirred a foot, to let him know of your 
presence. Now with so many meanings, should danger 
arise, or you wish your horse to stop instantly, you can- 
not make him do so by this mode of teaching, because 
he does not understand exactly what you want, by such 
a haphazard way of communicating to him your wishes. 
Have a distinct word for every command, and make him 
understand that every command must be obeyed. Speak 
in a natural tone of voice to your horse under all cir- 
cumstances. Nothing confuses a horse more than scream- 



42 

ing at him to make him hear. He is as acute in the 
sense of hearing as man, and so sensitive if nervous, as 
to have his pulse increase from six to ten seconds in a 
minute, from the irritating effect of one harsh word. 
Have your horse understand by examination and expe- 
rience that things liable to frighten are harmless, and 
be sure not to whip for being frightened. If your horse 
is frightened at anything approaching, let him stand 
until it passes, but hold the reins snug and firmly, or he 
may swing round and upset you. If cars are passing, 
and are regarded with fear, let your horse face them, 
but hold him immovable with the reins. Always un- 
der such circumstances, talk encouragingly to your horse. 
The slower you move your horse the more power you 
have over him. There are times when exhibiting my 
horse without harness, to let him trot would be to let 
him run away and be beyond my control ; though at 
other times I could with safety let him run at the top of 
his speed. There is but little danger of a horse kicking 
after being stopped, or while moving slowly, if not fully 
confirmed in the habit. A horse frightened, becomes 
reckless ; consequently never raise an umbrella suddenly 
or unexpectedly behind a horse afraid of such things. 
First raise it at the head and gradually carry it back, 
and then to be sure, it is best to have on the foot strap 
at first. Pear is something a horseman should never 
exhibit in his countenance or voice, as the horse is a 
close observer, and soon learns to take advantage of 
such indications to become careless of control, if not in- 
deed aggressive. 

Let your lessons be thorough, but not very long. Be 
gentle and patient with the colt, but make the willful, 
stubborn horse feel the full extent of your power, until 
he submits ; though if he should become much heated 
and excited, it is prudent to stop, and repeat the lesson 
at some future time ; but repeat until there is thorough 
and unconditional submission. Let your treatment be 
characterized by gentleness afterwards. 



43 
TRICKS 



As many of my scholars may wish to know how to 
teach their horses tricks, I will explain how it may be 
done. Teaching a young horse a few tricks serves 
greatly to keep up an interest in him, and makes him 
appear intelligent, fearless and affectionate. In teach- 
ing your horse to perform tricks, it is best to give him 
one or two lessons of half or three-quarters of an hour 
each, daily. 

TO COME AT THE CRACK OF THE WHIP OR AT THE WORD OF 

COMMAND. 

Put on the war bridle, stand off a few feet from his 
head, holding the end of the bridle in your left hand and 
the whip in the right. Crack the whip a little, and say, 
Come here, sir. He does not know what this means, 
but you show him by pulling on the bridle a little, which 
he will obey by moving towards you a few steps. This 
movement you thank him for by stepping forward and 
giving him a little apple or a few kernels of corn, and 
caressing him gently ; then repeat in the same way, re- 
warding him as before, and so continue until he will walk 
up to you readily when you crack the whip, or say, Come 
here, sir, which he will soon learn to do. Each time he 
comes to you, talk to him kindly, and do not fail to give 
him his little reward of corn, apple, oats, or something of 
the kind, which he likes. You can now take off his 
halter and turn him loose, and repeat until he fully com- 
prehends that the way to avoid the whip is to come to 
you, which, with the encouragement of rewarding, will 
soon inspire his fullest confidence, and he will come to 
you and follow like a dog. 

Be very cautious about the use of the whip or harsh 
language, remembering that perfect, cheerful obedience is 
your object, and that can be secured only by great pa- 
tience and gentleness. 



44 



TO MAKE A BOW. 

Take a pin in your right hand, between the thumb 
and forefinger, and stand before, but a little to the left, 
of your horse . Then prick him on the breast very lightly, 
as if a fly biting, which to relieve he will bring down his 
head, which you will accept as yes, and for which you 
will reward by caressing and feeding as before. Then 
repeat, and so continue until he will bring his head 
down the moment he sees the least motion of your hand 
towards his breast, or substitute some signal which he 
will understand readily. 

TO SAY NO. 

Stand by your horse near the shoulder, holding the 
same pin in your hand, with which prick him lightly on 
the withers, and to drive which away he will shake his 
head. You then caress as before, and so repeating, until 
he will shake his head at the least indication of your 
touching him with the pin; you can train your horse so 
nicely in this way in a short time as to cause him to 
shake his head or bow by merely turning the hand a 
little, or moving it slightly towards him. 

TO LIE DOWN. 

To teach a horse how to do this trick quickly, you 
must lay him down two or three times, or as often as 
you will find necessary to make him understand your 
object. If an old horse, strap the near fore leg up to 
the arm, then take your little strap, previously used to 
tamper your colt with, and place over the back and strap 
around the off fore foot, below the fetlock. Then take 
the bridle rein firmly in your left hand, about eighteen 
inches from the head, and pull upon it a little towards 
you. The moment he steps, pull upon the strap over 
the body, which will bring the horse on his knees. 
Hold him quietly, at the same time talking to him 
gently. When he springs, pull sharply with the left 
hand, and the same instant pull down with the right, 
which will swing him around you and prevent his rising 
high enough to injure his knees by the momentum of the 



45 

body in coming down. By being gentle, the horse will 
usually lie down in a short time. When down, treat 
your horse with the greatest attention and kindness. 
After holding him down ten or fifteen minutes, permit 
him to get up. Repeat this lesson until he will come 
down readily. Then use only the strap over the back, 
and which have on the near foot, and bring him on his 
knees gently, when he will soon lie down. When he 
will come on his knees readily by taking up the foot in 
this way, take up the foot with the hand, asking him to 
lie down. He will soon come down. When he will 
come on his knees readily by taking up the foot with the 
hand, simply stoop as if intending to take it up, saying, 
Lie down, sir. Then make him come down by a motion 
of the hand, and finally, by simply telling him to lie 
down. If a colt, use but the single strap over the body 
at first, which will soon cause him to come on his knees. 
In teaching a horse to lie down, be gentle, caress and 
reward him for lying down, and your horse comprehend- 
ing what you want, and finding himself paid for com- 
pliance, will soon be as anxious to get down for the re- 
ward, as you are to have him do so. 

TO SIT UP. 

When your horse will lie down readily, you can then 
teach him to sit up, like a dog, easily. If young, and 
not very heavy and strong, you can easily prevent his 
getting up without tying down. First cause him to lie 
down, having on him a common bridle, with the reins 
over the neck, then step behind him and place the right 
foot firmly upon the tail, the reins in your hands. Then 
say, Get up, sir. 

The horse, rising from a recumbent position, first turns 
on his belly, throws out his forward feet and raises him- 
self on them, springs forward and rises on his hind feet. 
Now, standing upon his tail firmly, and pulling back 
upon the reins when he attempts to spring forward and 
up, will prevent his doing so, and you hold him sitting 
up. Hold him firmly a few seconds, talking to him kind- 
ly, before permitting him to rise on his feet. Repeat a 



46 

few times, when, instead of springing up, he will sit on 
Ms haunches a short time, which you are to accept as 
complying with your wishes. Always say, " Sit up, sir," 
every time, and hold him in the position as long as he 
will bear, by fondling and feeding him with something 
he likes from the hand, and your horse will soon learn to 
sit up for you as long as you please. 

But if your horse is heavy and strong, it will be ne- 
cessary to resort to other means to hold him down at first. 
This you do by putting on his neck a common collar and 
causing him to lie down. Then fasten a piece of rope, 
or a rein, to each hind foot and bring forward through 
the collar and draw up close, which will bring the hind 
feet well forward. Then step behind, as before, and when 
he attempts to rise on his hind feet he finds it impossible 
to do so, because you hold them firmly with those straps. 
Repeat two or three times, when it will not be necessary 
to resort to such force. 

TO TEACH YOUR HORSE TO KISS YOU. 

Teach him first to take an apple out of your hand. 
Then gradually raise the hand nearer your mouth, at each 
repetition, until you require him to take it from your 
mouth, holding it with the hand, telling him at the same 
time to kiss you. He will soon learn to reach his nose 
up to your mouth; first, to get his apple, but finally, be- 
cause commanded to do so. Simply repeat until your 
horse understands the trick thoroughly. 

TO SHAKE HANDS. 

Tie a short strap, or a piece of a cord, to the forward 
foot, below the fetlock. Stand directly before the horse, 
holding the end of this strap or cord in your hand, 
then say, " Shake hands, sir," and immediately after 
commanding him to do so, pull upon the strap, which will 
bring his foot forward, and which you are to accept as 
shaking hands, thanking him for it by caressing and feed- 
ing, and so repeat until, when you make the demand, he 
will bring the foot forward in anticipation of having it 
pulled up. This is a very easy trick to teach a horse. 



47 

By a little practice a horse may be easily trained to ap- 
proach, make a bow ; shake hands and follow like a dog, 
lie down, sit up- &c, which make him appear both polite 
and intelligent. 

Never lose courage or confidence in your ability, be- 
cause you may not bring about good results easily. To 
accomplish anything of importance, remember, requires 
no ordinary resolution and perseverance. There would 
be no credit or importance attached to mastering and 
managing bad horses, if not difficult and apparently dan- 
gerous. No duty requires more firmness of purpose in 
the control of the passions, or more fidelity to the prin- 
ciples of kindness and truth, than that of horsemanship. 

If you would be a really successful horseman you must 
never seem to forget, by your conduct, that you are a 
man, and that your real superiority over the animal con- 
sists in the prudent exercise of your reasoning powers. 
Brute force is not your forte, and the instant you give 
way to passion your reason must yield to the control of 
blind instinct, and you at once abdicate your intellectual 
superiority over the animal. Try to prove, by the ex- 
ample of your actions in the performance of the duty, 
that to be a good horseman requires higher qualifications 
of fitness, than that of the huckstering dishonesty and 
depravity so generally evinced in the conduct of those 
claiming the distinction. 



SHOEING. 



If we examine the horse's foot while in its natural 
state, it will be found to be almost round, and very elas- 
tic at the heels. The frog, broad, plump, and of a soft, 
yielding character ; the commissures, open and well de- 
fined, and the sole concave ; the outside of the crust, 
from the heels to the toe, increased from a slight level 
to an angle of about forty-five degrees. Consequently, 
as the hoof grows, it becomes wider and longer in pro- 
portion to the amount of horn secreted, and the narrower 
and shorter in proportion to the amount of horn cut 
away from the ground surface. If a shoe were fitted 
nicely and accurately to the foot, after being dressed 
down well, it would be found too narrow and short for 
the same foot after the lapse of a few weeks. Now if 
an unyielding shoe of iron is nailed firmly to this natur- 
ally enlarging and elastic hoof, it prevents its natural 
freedom of expansion almost wholly, and does not, as 
the foot grows down, allow it to become wider at the 
quarters, in proportion to the quantity of horn grown, 
as before being shod ; and consequently, the foot changes, 
from the continued effect of the restraint, from an almost 
round, healthy foot, to a contracted and unhealthy con- 
dition, as generally seen in horses shod for a few years. 
The principles which should govern in shoeing, are few 
and simple, and it is surprising that a matter involving 
such serious consequences, should be conducted with so 
little consideration. The object of the shoer should be, 
in trimming and preparing the hoof for the shoe, to keep 
the foot natural, and this involves, first, the cutting away 
of any undue accumulation of horn affecting in the least 
its health and freedom. 

Second. To carry out in the form of the shoe, that of 
the foot as nearly as possible. 



49 

Third. To fit and fasten the shoe to the foot so as to 
interfere least with its health and elasticity. 

The object in preparing the foot for the shoe, should 
be to remove any undue accumulation of horn, designed 
to prevent its natural bearing, and the free, healthy ac- 
tion of its parts, and requires the cutting away of about 
the proportion contact with the ground would have worn 
off, or so much as had grown since being shod last. If 
the shoes have been on a month, then the proportion of 
horn secreted in the time is to be removed. If on two 
months, then the proportion of two months' growth. No 
definite rule can be given, the judgement must be gov- 
erned by the circumstances of the case. The stronger 
and more rapid the growth of the foot, the more must 
be cut away ; and the weaker and less horn produced, the 
less, to the extreme of simply leveling the crust a little, 
the better to conform to the shoe. There is generally a 
far more rapid growth of horn at the toe, than at either 
the heels or the quarters ; more, therefore, will require to 
be taken off the toe than off the other parts. Therefore 
shorten the toe and lower the heels until you succeed in 
bringing down the bearing surface of the hoof, upon the 
shoe, to almost a level with the live horn of the sole. Be 
■careful to make the heels level. 

Having lowered the crust to the necessary extent 
with the buttress or knife, smooth it down level, with 
the rasp. The sole and frog detach the old horn by 
exfoliation as it becomes superabundant. The sole, 
therefore, would not need paring were it not for the 
restraining effect of the shoe upon the general functions 
of the foot, which is liable to prevent such detachment 
of the horn. 

When this is the case, the sole should be properly 
•dressed out with an English shave, the end of which is 
shaped like an iron used at saw-mills to mark and 
measure boards. The buttress is too large and square- 
edged to dress out so concave a surface properly, and 
unless great care is exercised it will not only penetrate 
thrcugh the sole in some places, but leave others entirely 
4 



• 50 

neglected. While a good workman may work well 
with almost any kind of tool, such have also the faculty 
of adapting tools to the work. A horse's foot is not to 
be hacked and cut as if only a block of lifeless wood, 
and if even a lifeless machine, what care would be found 
necessary to preserve its harmony of action complete. 
The buttress does not seem to me to be at all adapted 
to dressing out the sole, and should not be used for that 
purpose. While I am obliged to find fault with the 
carelessness of blacksmiths in this respect, it is with the 
spirit of kindness, sensible that I am myself only a dull 
pupil in the work of reform, and perhaps deserving 
severe criticism. 

I would be particular also in impressing the necessity 
of not confounding the bars with the substance of the 
sole, and cutting thein down to a common level with the 
sole. Any man of common sense can see that the bear- 
ing of the bars should be equal to the outside of the 
crust upon the shoe, and that they offer a decided 
resistance to the contraction of the heels. The cutting 
away of the bars, to give the heels an open appearance,, 
is inexcusable, and should not be done. 

In a natural, healthy condition, the frog has a line of 
bearing with the hoof, and by its elastic nature acts as 
a safeguard to the delicate machinery of the foot imme- 
diately over it, and helps to preserve the foot in its nat- 
ural state, by keeping the heels spread. It seems to be 
wisely intended to give life and health to the foot. 
Permitting the heels to grow down, with the addition 
of high-heeled shoes, raises the frog from its natural 
position and causes it to shrink and harden, and bears* 
in consequence an important influence in setting up a 
diseased action that usually results in contraction of the 
foot. If the heels are square and high, and the hoof 
presents rather a long, narrow appearance, and is hollow 
on the bottom, there is a state of contraction going on,, 
and you must not hesitate to dress down thoroughly. 
Do not hesitate because the foot will appear small ; cut 
away until you are well down to a level with the live 



51 

horn of the sole, and if the foot is weak use the same 
prudence in not cutting it away too much. The shoer 
must also bear in mind that the sole must not rest upon 
the shoe. The sole, when not clogged with old horn, 
acts as a spring to the weight of the horse, and if it 
rests upon the shoe, an inflammation may be caused by 
the pressure of the coffin bone upon the sensitive laminae, 
which is liable in consequence to be so bruised as to cause 
soreness and inflammation. The effect of such bruises 
are most common at the angle of the inner heel, where 
the descending heel of the coffin bone, forcibly pressing 
the soft, sensible sole, upon the horny sole, is apt to 
rupture one or more of the small blood vessels of the 
delicate fleshy substance connecting the crust to the cof- 
fin bone of the part, causing red spots called corns. Let 
the foot be so dressed down, and the shoe so approxi- 
mate, that the bearing will come evenly upon the crust all 
the way round, without the sole touching the shoe. This 
requires the crust to be dressed level, and though well 
down to the live horn of the sole, it should always be 
left a little higher. The corners between the bars and 
crust, should be well pared out, so that there is no dan- 
ger of the sole resting upon the shoe. 

Presuming, that I have said enough on the subject 
of paring, I will now consider the 

SHOE. 

The main object should be to have the shoe so formed 
as to size, weight, fitting and fastening, as to combine 
the most advantages of protection, and preserve the nat- 
ural tread of the foot the best ; in weight it should be 
proportioned to the work or employment of the horse. 
The foot should not be loaded with more iron than is 
necessary to preserve it. If the hoof is light, the shoe 
should be light also ; but if the horse work principally 
on the road, his shoes should be rather heavy. In its 
natural state, the foot has a concave sole surface, which 
seems to offer the greatest fulcrum of resistance to the 
horse when traveling. Most of the shoes I exhibit are 
fashioned on this principle, and aside from the advantages 



52 

of lightness and strength, they are considered to be an 
improvement upon the common flat shoe. 

Geo. H. Dodd, veterinary surgeon, said lately in a letter 
on shoeing: " The action of concave feet may be compared 
to that of the claws of a cat, or the nails on the fingers 
and toes of man ; the nails and toes are the fulcrum ; 
they grasp, as it were, the bodies with which they come 
in contact, and thus they secure a fulcrum of resistance 
when traveling or grasping. jSTow in order to preserve 
the natural mechanical action of the horn and sole, the 
ground surface of the shoe must correspond exactly with 
the ground surface of the foot ; that is to say, the 
ground surface of the shoe must be beveled, cup fashion ; 
its outer edge being prominent, corresponds to the lower 
and outer rim of the hoof ; while the shoe being hollow, 
it resembles the natural concavity of the sole of the foot. 

" No matter what may be the form of the foot, whether 
it be high or low heeled, contracted at the heels, length- 
ened or shortened at the toe, or having a concave or 
convex sole, it matters not, the ground surface of the 
shoe must be concave. In every other part of the shoe, 
alterations and deviations from any given rule or form 
are needed, in consequence of the ever varying form of 
the foot, and the condition of the same, both as regards 
health and disease ; but the sole of the foot being con- 
cave presents a pattern for the ground surface of the 
shoe, which the smith, with all his skill, cannot improve 
on, and if all such craftsmen were to follow this pattern 
more closely than they do, there would be fewer acci- 
dents in falling, and a less number of lame horses." 

The shoe should be of an equal thickness all the way 
round, perfectly level on the top side, and concave on the 
ground surface. I cannot see the propriety, as given by 
a standard author, of seating all shoes alike, and of car- 
rying it well back to the heel. Seating appears to be 
necessary only for flat-footed horses, or the inside edge 
of the shoe must be lowered from the possible bearing 
of the sole, and enough to run a pricker round between 
the shoe and hoof, to remove any gravel or foreign mat- 



53 

ter that may find a lodgment between the sole and^shoe. 
If there is much space between the shoe and sole, it in- 
vites the accumulation of gravel and other substances 
injurious to the foot. If the seating is carried well 
back, and the shoe so wide that the heels, instead of 
bearing on a level surface, as they should, come down 
upon this inclined plane, it tends to crowd them togeth- 
er. If the shoe is not wide in web, and the foot strong 
and arched, it may be made entirely level on top. At all 
events, that portion upon which rests the heels and crust, 
must be level, and should be fitted accurately. The 
shoe should be continued completely round towards the 
heels as far as the crust extends, as large as the full 
unrasped hoof ; but no part must project beyond it, ex- 
cepting at the extreme of the heels. The expansion of 
the heels, and the growth of the foot, require that the 
shoe should be long enough and wide enough at the 
heels to allow for the natural growth of the foot, in the 
time it is calculated the shoe should be on before being 
reset; for as the foot enlarges the shoe is brought forward, 
until it loses its original proportion, and becomes too short 
and narrow. The shoe may be about a quarter of an inch 
wider and longer than the extreme bearing of the heels. 
The nail holes should be punched coarse, and in the center 
of the web. If the hind shoe, four on the side and well 
forward ; if the forward shoe, four on the outside, and 
two or three well forward, in the inside toe, as found 
necessary to retain the shoe. The manner of fastening 
the shoe is what really affects the foot, and which re- 
quires the most special attention in shoeing. For the 
foot being elastic, expands in the same degree to the 
weight of the body on the rough, that it does on the 
nicely fitted shoe. It is the number and position of the 
nails that really affect the foot. If they are placed well 
back in the quarters, four on the side, as is common, the 
crust is held as firmly to this unyielding shoe, as if in a 
vice, which utterly prevents the free action necessary to 
its health. Inflammation of the sensitive laminae is pro- 
duced, which causes contraction, and the consequent de- 



54 

rangement of the whole foot. No matter how well 
shaped a boot may be, if it is too short and small for the 
free action of the foot when in use, it is a cause of con- 
tinual torment, and induces the irritation of inverted 
toe nails and corns of the most aggravating character. 
The principle is precisely the same in shoeing horses, 
if the free, natural expansion of the foot is prevented 
by the shoe being so nailed to the hoof as to obstruct its 
expansion and the possibility of the quarters spreading 
in proportion to the growth of the hoof, there must re- 
sult an irritation of the fleshy substance between the 
crust and coffin bone, that ultimately sets up so much 
diseased action of the parts, as to cause contraction 
and navicular disease. Now shoes may be securely 
fastened without causing such mischief, if the following 
method of nailing be observed : 

Drive four nails on the outer side of the foot, same 
as common, while you drive but two or three well for- 
ward in the toe of the opposite, which leaves the inside 
quarter virtually free and independant of the shoe ; for 
the outside of the foot being the only part fastened, car- 
ries the whole shoe with it at every expansion, while the 
inner side being unattached, expands independently of 
it, and the foot is left as nearly as possible in a state of 
nature, so far as its powers of expansion are concerned. 
The reader may ask, will this style of nailing hold shoes 
on the feet of horses of all work ? I answer yes. Ex- 
perience has fully demonstrated, that seven nails will 
hold shoes on ordinary feet, for any purpose, if the shoes 
are properly fitted, for a period of from four to seven 
weeks, which is as long as shoes ought to he on without 
resetting. 

If the shoes are made with little clips at the toes to 
prevent being pushed under the toe, less nailing will be 
required. If seven nails are found to be necessary, you 
can drive three in a space of an inch and a quarter, 
well forward in the toe, though in most cases two will 
be found to answer the purpose. Turn down the clinches 
strongly. Nothing should be done for what is called 



55 

fancy. The hoof should never be rasped or filed above 
the clinches. The hoof is covered by a peculiar enamel 
that prevents the too rapid evaporation of moisture from 
the horn, and must not be disturbed. The practice of rasp- 
ing, filing and sand-papering the hoof to make it look 
nice, only produces mischief, and should not be permitted. 
Horses kept for light driving, and irregular work, and 
particularly those having rather square, upright heels, 
should be shod on the one-sided nailing principle, as the 
feet of such horses are much disposed to contraction. 
So far as observation and experience teach me, I find 
proper attention to paring down the feet and fastening 
the shoes so as not to interfere with the free expansion 
of the hoof, as above, will remedy contraction ; though 
attention to growing down the crust, and the application 
of shoes that are slightly convex, or beveled out, so as to 
have a tendency to spread the heels when the weight of 
the body is thrown upon the foot, and fastening on the 
principle of the inside quarter being left free, is regarded 
as much better. But the blacksmith must be a good 
workman to fashion and fit a shoe in this way properly. 
The nails should not be driven higher in the crust than 
seven-eighths of an inch, and not so deep as to possibly 
strike through to the quick. If the foot is light, and 
shows a thin, delicate crust, the nails should be small, 
and not driven high or deep into the horn. As a rule, 
the fewer and smaller the nails used, provided they se- 
cure the shoe to the foot with safety, the better. Shoes 
should be reset, or replaced, as often as once a month ; 
though in some cases it may not be necessary to reset 
quite so often. It is a positive necessity at six, and 
must not be neglected longer than seven or eight weeks. 

INTERFERING SHOES. 

To prevent interfering, know first what part of the 
foot hits the opposite ankle. This you can do by wrap- 
ping the ankle with a rag nicely, which color with some 
kind of coloring matter, over where the opposite foot 
hits. Then drive the horse until you can discover, 
by some of this coloring matter adhering, what portion 



56 

of the crust hits the ankle. Remove this portion of 
the crust, and have the shoe set well under the foot, 
but carefully fitted, so as to support the foot safely by 
the bearing of the bar and heel. The hoof should be 
pared lowest on the outside, to turn the ankle, that the 
other hoof may pass clear. Yet if the inside sole is not 
dressed, the rim soon breaks, and the inside is found to 
be actually lower than the outside. Shoes, to prevent 
interfering, should be light and of narrow web on the in- 
side, with three nail holes near the toe. They should be 
straight at the point where they come in contact with 
the ankle of the opposite leg. By adhering strictly to 
this principle of paring the foot, and fitting and fastening 
of the shoe, you will prevent a recurrence of the difficulty. 
Shoes, to prevent over-reaching, should be long, and for 
the forward feet, heavy, especially at the heels ; and for 
the hind feet, light, with heavy toes. The hoof should 
be well pared at the toe. 

CORNS 

Appear in the angle of the hoof, near the heel. They 
are generally caused by the shoe being worn too long, 
causing the shell of the hoof to grow over the shoe, 
which throws the weight upon the sole ; or the angles 
between the bar and crust are not kept properly dressed 
out, for any accumulation of horn between the bar and 
crust, which would prevent the free elasticity of the sole 
at the heel must increase the risk of producing corns, by 
the liability there is of causing the sensitive laminae be- 
neath the edges of the coffin bone to become bruised, 
owing to the undue pressure it may be subjected to for 
want of elasticity in the horny sole. When the sensitive 
laminae is thus bruised, the horny substance of which the 
sole is composed is secreted in less quantity, the blood 
from the ruptured vessels mingles with the imperfectly 
secreted horny matter, and as this process is going on, it 
soon makes its appearance on the outside. 

TO CURE CORNS. 

Cut the horn well down, but not to the quick ; fit the 
shoe so that it does not press upon the part. Then sat- 



57 

urate well with pine sap or gum, which is found exuding 
from pine trees when cut. Fill the part nicely with 
tow, and put on the shoe, remembering that the shoe 
must be so fitted as not to oblige the part to support 
but very slightly, if any, the weight of the horse. This 
remedy was given me by an intelligent shoer, and is cer- 
tainly good. Horses with corns must be oftener and 
more carefully shod than those free from them. 

In shoeing, strive to keep the form of the foot natural. 
If the hoofs are not flat and weak, the shoes should set 
out evenly to the edge of the crust under the toe. Let 
the nails be driven well forward in the toe, or what is 
much better, be placed well round in the outside quarter, 
and as far forward in the toe of the inside as possible, 
and as few as will be found by experience necessary to 
retain the shoe. Be positive in the enforcement of this 
rule ; and lastly, have the shoes reset at least once every 
six or seven weeks. 



RECIPES. 



The following Recipes have been gathered from 
sources entitled to the fullest confidence, as remedies of 
great value, and some of them at an unusual cost, and 
they are presented with the hope of being fully appre- 
ciated. 

It is well to remember, that to keep horses in health, 
is much more important, less troublesome, and requires 
less skill than to cure sick ones. Abuse, overwork, and 
exposure, should be guarded against, if the serious con- 
sequences of inflammation of the lungs, colic, &c, are 
to be avoided ; and should your horse be sick, it is al- 
ways best to be cautious about doctoring too much, or 
until you are sure of what is necessary to be done. 

FOR INFLAMMATION OF THE LUNGS, IN A HORSE. 

First, a thorough bleeding ; then would give tine, 
veratrum viride, \ oz. ; laudanum, 4 ozs. ; tinct. aconite, 



58 

\ oz. ; shake well together, and give a tablespoon half 
full every three or four hours, in some water, well sweet- 
ened ; and if it does not bring down the pulse, the dose 
can be gradually increased to a tablespoonful, and soon 
as the horse recovers so as to eat, and lie down naturally, 
would keep him on hay alone, perhaps with a few car- 
rots or potatoes, and daily give a bran mash with salt- 
petre, crude antimony and sulphur, for ten or fifteen days, 
and you will prevent dropsy of the chest, which is a se- 
quel of that disease. 

FOR COLIC IN HORSES. 

Sulph. ether, 1 pint ; aromatic spirits ammonia, 1 
pint; sweet spirits nitre, 2 pints ; opium, \ lb. ; asafce- 
tida, (pure,) \ lb. ; camphor, \ lb.; put in a large bottle, 
let stand 14 days, with frequent shaking, and it will be 
fit for use. Dose, 2 ounces every 2, 3, or 4 hours, until 
the horse is relieved. Should be given in water well 
sweetened. 

Another remedy. — One oz. laudanum; 1 oz. sweet 
spirits of nitre ; 1 oz. tinct. asafcetida ; 1 teaspoonful 
capsicum ; from 2 to 3 ozs. carbonate soda ; \ pint whis- 
ky ; \ pint water. Mix and give at one dose, and if 
not better in twenty-five minutes, repeat half dose. 

FOR SPAVIN. 

Five ozs. euphorbeum ; 2 ozs. Spanish flies, (fine ;) 1 
oz. iodine — dissolved with alcohol ; \ oz. red precipi- 
tate ; 1 oz. corrosive sublimate ; | oz. quicksilver ; 6 
ozs. hog's lard ; 6 ozs. white turpentine ; \ lb. verdigris. 
Melt the lard and the turpentine together, then while 
hot add all together. Mix well ; when cold fit for use. 
Rub it in thoroughly on the spavin every day for three 
days, then wash clean with soap-suds ; omit for three 
days, and then repeat for three days again, and so on 
until a perfect cure is produced. Should it blister, use it 
more cautiously. 

A PREPARATION FOR BLOOD SPAVIN. 

One-half pound of blood-root, 1 qt. of alcohol, 2 ozs. of 
tannin, and quarter of a pound of alum. Mix and let it 



59 

stand, shaking it several times a day, till the strength is 
all in the alcohol, and bathe the spavin twice a day, 
rubbing it in with the hand. 

HEAVES. 

Take smart-weed, steep it in boiling water till the 
strength is all out ; give one quart every day, mixed 
with bran or shorts, for eight or ten days. Give green 
or cut up feed, wet with water, during the operation, 
and it will cure. 

TO COVER HEAVES. 

Oil tar, 1 oz. ; oil amber, 1 oz. Mix, and give 15 or 
20 drops in feed, daily. 

FOR STIFLE. 

First, prepare your medicine. Take 4 qts. white oak 
bark — rosked ; put it into 8 qts. w r ater ; boil to 2 qts. ; 
turn off the liquid while hot, and add a three-penny pa- 
per of tobacco. Now let stand until a little above blood 
heat. Now heat a flat-iron or a brick, then proceed 
immediately to put the stifle in its place. Now bathe 
it thoroughly with the decoction about five minutes, 
then apply your flat-iron as near as the animal will bear, 
until all absorbed. Then give the animal rest for one 
hour, and if it should possibly slip out again, repeat as 
before, observing care about straining for a few days. 

Another remedy. — One oz. sugar of lead ; 1 pint al- 
cohol. Mix, and apply three or four times a day, until 
a cure is produced. 

SCRATCHES. 

Hydrate of potassa, 10 grs. ; pulvd. nutgall, \ oz. ; 
white lead, \ oz. ; pulvd. opium, \ oz. ; hog's lard, \ lb. 

Another remedy. — One quart good vinegar ; £ lb. 
litharge. Mix and simmer down to half the quantity ; 
strain and apply. 

FOR WIND GALLS. 

Olive oil, 3 ozs. ; nitric acid, 1 oz. Rubbed in as much 
daily or every second or third day as it will bear with* 
out starting the hair. 



60 



GREASE. 

Two ozs. flour sulphur ; \ oz. verdigris. Mix and ap- 
ply after washing. 

TO RECRUIT A HORSE HIDE-BOUND, OR OTHERWISE OUT OF 

SORTS. 

Nit. potassa, (or saltpetre,) 4 ozs.; crude antimony, 1 
oz. ; sulphur, 3 ozs. Nitrate of potassa and antimony 
should be finely pulverized, then add the sulphur, and 
mix the whole well together. Dose, a tablespoonful of 
the mixture in a bran mash, daily. 

MAGIC LINIMENT. 

Two ounces oil of spike, two ounces origanum, two 
ounces of hemlock, two ounces of wormwood, four 
ounces of sweet oil, two ounces spirits ammonia, two 
ounces of gum camphor, two ounces spirits turpentine, 
and one quart of proof spirits, nine per cent., mix well 
together and bottle tight. For sprains, bruises, lame- 
ness, &c, this liniment is unsurpassed, and originally 
cost, (which it is really worth,) one hundred dollars. 
This is the same liniment, without the turpentine, which 
has achieved such wonderful cures for human ailments. 
For domestic purposes it is invaluable. 

LINIMENT FOR OPEN WOUNDS. 

Take of sulphate of copper, (copperas,) 1 oz. ; white 
vitriol, 2 ozs. ; muriate of soda, (salt,) 2 ozs.; oil lin- 
seed, 2 ozs. ; Orleans molasses, 8 ozs. ; boil over a slow 
fire, fifteen minutes, in a pint of urine, all of the above 
ingredients. When nearly cold, add one oz. of oil of 
vitriol, and 4 ozs . of spirits of turpentine, and bottle for use. 

Apply it to the wound with a quill, which will 
soon set the wound to discharging, and perform a cure 
in a few days. Be careful to keep the wound covered, 
either by a bandage or a plaster. Should be applied 
once or twice a day, until it discharges freely. 

SIMPLE LINIMENT. 

Put into spirits of turpentine, all the camphor gum 
it will cut, when for ordinary purposes it is fit for use ; 



61 

but if designed to reduce pain, add as much laudanum as, 
there is turpentine. This liniment is as good as it is 
simple. 

COUGH POWDERS. 

Camphor, 1 oz. ; tartar emetic, 1 oz. ; nit. potassa, 2 
ozs. ; and degitalis, 1 drachm, if you choose. 

RECIPE TO MAKE CONDITION POWDERS. 

Take one pound of ginger, one ounce of anise seed, 
pulverized, one ounce of fenugreek seed, two ounces of 
ginseng root, pulverized, one ounce of the seed of sumac 
berries, pulverized, one ounce of antimony, mix it with a 
pound of brown sugar. This is excellent for coughs, 
colds, or to give a horse an appetite. 

ANTI-SPASMODIC TINCTURE FOR MAN OR HORSE. 

Oil of cajeput, 1 oz. ; oil of cloves, 1 oz. ; oil. of pep- 
permint, 1 oz. ; oil of anise, 1 oz. ; alcohol, 1 quart. 
Mix all together and bottle for use. Dose for a horse, 1 
oz. every 15 minutes, in a little whisky and hot water, 
sweetened with molasses ; continue until relieved Dose 
for a man, 1 teaspoonful. 

THRUSH. 

Cleanse the foot out well, then crowd in fine salt and 
wash with beef brine. 

PHYSIC BALL. 

Barbadoes aloes, 1 lb. ; syrup buckthorn, 3 ozs. ; cod 
liver oil, 3 ozs. ; melt the whole and stir till cold. In 
winter, add a little water ; make into eighteen pills, 
and give one every four hours, or as much as will move 
the bowels. 

DIURETIC DROPS 

That are reliable for stoppage of water, foul water, 
or inflammation of the kidneys, in all cases : 

Take of sweet spirits of nitre, 4 ozs. ; balsam copaiva, 
2 ozs. ; oil of juniper, 2 ozs. ; spirits of turpentine, 
2 ozs. ; gum camphor, pulverized, 1 oz. ; mix all to- 
gether, and shake well ; bottle, and it is fit for use, for 



62 

man or beast, under all circumstances where a diuretic 
as required. 

Dose : For a horse, one ounce, in half a pint of milk, 
once in six hours ; for a man, one teaspoonful, in a table- 
spoonful of milk, once in six hours. 

Be sure to shake the ingredients up well, before turn- 
ing out for use. 

TO CURE HORSE DISTEMPER. 

If the glands of the neck are not swollen much, give 
half a three cent paper of smoking tobacco, morning and 
evening, in a warm bran mash, and give no hay, but a 
little fine cut straw, wet, with bran ifiixed in. If the 
glands of the neck are swollen, then apply a warm poul- 
tice made of wheat bran and hot vinegar, changing as 
often as the poultice gets dry, and be sure to get down 
all you can of flax-seed tea, or slippery elm tea will an- 
swer the same purpose ; and let this be his constant 
rink. Be cautious to keep the horse from taking cold, 
i n any way, and keep on a blanket,, and thus you will 
save many a noble animal. Be cautious never to bleed 
your horse during the horse distemper, nor physic him 
any more than what you will be able to do with your 
warm bran mash. 

REMEDY FOR B0TS, 

Which will remove them in a few days : Take of oil 
of turpentine, 8 ozs. ; alcohol, 1 qt. ; mix, and bottle 
for use. Dose, five ounces, in the horse's feed, once a 
day for eight days, and this will effectually remove the 
last vestige of the bots. 

VEGETABLE CAUSTIC. 

Make a strong ley of hickory or oak ashes, put into 
an iron kettle and evaporate to the consistency of thin 
molasses ; then remove into a sand bath, and continue 
the evaporation to the consistency of honey. Keep it in 
a ground stopped glass jar. 

This caustic is very valuable in fistulas, cancers, scrof- 
ulas and indolent ulcers, particularly where there are 
sinuses, necrosis, (or decay of bone,) and in all cases 



63 

where there is proud flesh ; and also to excite a healthy 
action of the parts. It removes fungous flesh without 
exciting inflammation, and acts but little except on 
spongy or soft flesh. 

FOR CURING WARTS. 

Take corrosive sublimate and red precipitate, pow- 
dered and mixed equal parts ; will cure the worst wart in 
the world on horses and cattle. 

If the wart is large and loose, tie a fine strong cord 
around it close to the skin. In a short time the wart 
will come off, then apply the powder until the wart is 
eaten down below the skin, then wash off and rub on a 
little sweet oil, and it will soon heal over. If the wart 
is dry, scratch it with a pin or point of a knife until it 
bleeds, then rub on the powder. It will make a dry 
scab ; pick off the scab and put on the powder again 
until it is all eaten off. 

HOOF OINTMENT. 

Take rosin, 4 ounces ; beeswax, 5 ounces ; lard, 2 lbs. ; 
melt together ; pour it into a pot, and three ounces of 
turpentine ; 2 ounces of finely pulverized verdigris ; 1 
pound of tallow ; stir all until it gets cold. This is one 
of the best medicines for the hoof ever used. It is good 
for corks or bruises of the feet. 

HOW TO CLEAN AND OIL HARNESS. 

First, take the harness apart, having each strap and 
piece by itself ; then wash it in warm soap suds. When 
cleaned, black every part with the following dye : one 
ounce extract of logwood, twelve grains bichromate of 
potash, both pounded fine ; when put into two quarts 
of boiling rain water, and stir until all is dissolved. 
When cool, it may be used. You can bottle and keep for 
future use if you wish. It may be applied with a shoe- 
brush, or anything else convenient. When the dye has 
struck in, you may oil each part with neat's-foot oil, ap- 
plied with a paint-brush, or anything convenient. For 
second oiling use one-third castor oil, and two-thirds 
neat's-foot oil, mixed. A few hours after, wipe clean 



64 

with a woolen cloth, which gives the harness a glossy 

appearance. 

This preparation does not injure the leather or stitcn- 
in<* ; makes it soft and pliable, and obviates the necessity 
ofoiling as often as is necessary by the ordinary method. 

HOW TO CURE CRIBBING. 

If caused by irritation of the teeth growing too near 
together, saw between the upper and lower front teeth. 
If a simple habit, arrange the stall so as to make it im- 
possible for him to crib. This you do by making the 
stall plain, with a simple box manger in front rather 
low but extending the whole width of the stall. Im- 
mediately over the front edge of this plain box manger, 
hang a roller, of about six or seven inches in diameter, 
on pivots, which must be so arranged that it will turn 
easily. This roller, extending clear across the manger, 
offers the only means within reach upon which to crib. 
The horse, in cribbing, will press the front teeth firmly 
upon this roller, pulling down and towards him, which 
causes the roller to turn from under his mouth, and he 
is defeated in his efforts There is no trouble in break- 
in* a young horse of this habit by this means. A very 
p;ood way is to feed the horse from a basket hung loosely 
by a cord to something over-head. The roller, properly 
adjusted, is however, much the best means. 

HOW TO PREVENT HORSES JUMPING. 

Have a good firm strap halter made, that will fit the 
head nicely, with a wide strap stitched to each side, so 
as to come over the eyes. Cut holes in this strap over 
each eve ; over these eye-holes put fine wire cloth sup- 
ported nicely by wire, so that it will not possibly touch 
the eyes. Before a horse attempts jumping over aience 
he will put his head over to calculate upon the height 
and distance he is obliged to jump ; but by looking 
through this wire cloth every thing is so magnified in 
appearance, that he is disconcerted in his efforts to do 
so, and is afraid to jump. 



r w » r o ^> %j 




skc*^^ y<f £ 3 



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jTRAIMG HORSES 



ON A PRACTICAL AND IMPROVED 



BASIS OF CONTROL. 



INCLUDING A 



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W TREATISE ON SHOEING. VP 



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AS PRACTICED AND TAUGHT 



by r>. m^qister. 



• ♦ » 



UTICA, N. Y. 

ROBERTS, PRINTER, 60 GENESEE STREET. 
1863. 



JOCKEY TRICKS. 

How to make a foundered and spavined horse go off 
limber. — Take tinct. of cayenne, loz.; laudanum, 2 ozs.; 
alcohol, 1 pint ; rub the shoulders well with warm wa- 
ter, then rub the above on his shoulders and back-bone ; 
give him one ounce of laudanum and a pint of gin ; put 
it down his throat with a junk bottle ; put his feet in 
warm water as hot as he can bear it ; take a little spir- 
its of turpentine, rub it on the bottom part of his feet 
with a sponge after taking them out of the warm water; 
drive him about a half mile or a mile, until he comes out 
limber as a rag. If he does not surrender to his pain, 
tie a thin cord around the end of his tongue. 

To make old horses appear young. — Take tincture of 
asafoetida, one ounce ; tincture cantharides, one ounce ; 
oil of cloves, one ounce ; oil of cinnamon, one ounce ; 
antimony two ounces ; fenugreek, one ounce ; fourth 
proof brandy, half a gallon ; let it stand ten days, then 
give ten drops in one gallon of water. 

How to make a horse appear as if foundered. — Take 
a fine wire, or any substitute, and fasten it around the 
postern joint at night, smooth the hair down over it 
nicely, and by morning he will walk as stiff as if foun- 
dered. 

To make a horse fleshy in a short time. — Feed with 
buckwheat bran, to which add a little of the shorts ; keep 
in a dark stable. Half a day's drive will make a horse 
fatted in this way poor. 

How to make a horse stand by his feed and not eat it. 
— Grease the front teeth and roof of the mouth with 
common tallow, and he will not eat until you wash it 
out. 

How to make a true pulling horse baulk. — Take tinc- 
ture of cantharides, one ounce, and corrosive sublimate 
one drachm. Mix and bathe the shoulders at night. 

How to distinguish between distemper and glanders. 
— The discharge from the nose, if glanders, will sink in 
w T ater ; if distemper, it will not. 

How to make a horse appear as if he had- the gland- 
ers. — Melt fresh butter and pour in his ear. 



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